The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-12-02
MEN MAY SOON CROSS THE ATLANTIC
IN NEW AER0PLANE, SAYS CURT|ss
Aviator Expects Successful Effort viii Be Made 1916Remark
able Development of the Aeopane Result of the European
War Has Displaced Dreams With Deductions
Use in War Has Proved Utility in Peace.

But this | can say with definiteness.'
he continued. Experience will show
that the seaplane is the safest as we'll
as the speediest Of all the means Of
transit we have. One of our big sea-
| planes would ride at anchor through
| the worse of storms, but would more
probably get above it and journey on
with complete Indifference to the
| weather
You asked me what in my opinion
are the chief outstanding features Of
the great experience which the war In
Europe is affording us in aviation.
would say that they are these: The
| increase In the size, but principally In
| the power OF the machines. the amaz-
ing work shown to be possible by
i flyers and. above all, the urgent need
| of proper and adequate aerial forces
for the defense of the United States.
Lesson for u. S.
Tor us | think this last lesson is by
far the most important We have
practically no machines and almost
no flyers. We could perhaps get the
| machines, IL the enemy was good
| enough to give us the grace of little
time; but how about the men to use
them? 1t takes time to make flyer,
lot more time than any foe would
give us. The situation is serious
one. No country can afford to take
chances these days. Something ought
to be done at once.
Congress has voted $2.0O0,000, but
most Of it, l understand. is going for
experimental workshops. That's all
right. but it won't produce aviators.
AS builder of aircraft / shall be
considered interested | suppose. But
! know. For that matter, everybody
ought to know; it is so obvious.
In the last two naval maneuvers
the defending fleet was eluded each
time and the enemy succeeded In
landing on our shores. We were told
we had not enough scout ships. The
obvious fact was that we had no sea-
planes. Efficient watch on a long
coast line like ours can only be kept
by means of seapIanes. The expense
of scout ships is unnecessary. and
they could not do the work SO well no
matter how great their number.
Our entire coast, believe, should
be guarded by system Of seapiane
stations. The big seaplanes of today
can go far out to sea, drop anchor and
ride there for days IL necessary. They
can see infinitely farther. their
speed is twice Or three times that of
scout ship, they can keep in touch
with each other more easily, they run
little danger from the foe, and are
peril to Submarines instead OF being
in peril from them.
Seaplane All Eyes.
The seaplane is the only thing from
which submarine cannot escape. To
escape from a warship a submarine
has but to submerge, and once it is
below the surface it Is out Of sight,
and, far from having to flee. can turn
back on the warship and have it at its
mercy. But experience on the other
side is showing that once it is spotted
from seaplane a submarine Is
doomed as surely as pigeon over
which a hawk Is lowering. and from
the air it can be spotted and followed
even when submerged.
British aviators have adopted an
ingenious. daring and deadly method
with the German U-boats when they
come upon them submerged. Unseen