Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-07
Rear Admiral Peary at
Portland Urges the Swiss
System Of Raising Army

| highest award in these events is the
title Of Master shot given to those
| who make as hits out OF 100 shots
within an S-inch circle, in kneeline
position, at a distance of $50 yards
In 1910 at Borne 12S Master shots
qualified"
Enormous National Asset.
Think what an enormously valuable
civic and economic national asset II
| would be to have among us millions o.
boys, yours and mine among them
taught to take care Of themselves
physically, to carry themselves erect
to be manly; boys being trained IN
discipline, in system, in self control. In
self reliance, obedience, loyalty, and
determination to carry to a finish the
task that has been assigned or un-
dertaken.
And millions Of young men trained
in the fundamentals Of military drill
and movements. in the art Of giving
and obeying orders. and possessed OF
the knowledge of how to handle men;
knowledge just as valuable Tor Dusl-
ness purposes as for military.
i Let us begin now. to do our par'
towards training our children in a
way that will add greatly to our ma
tional efficiency in peace, and II ne
| oessary IN defense Of our national ex'
istence enable US to call into instant
action such an overwhelming and eff
6cience force as will either avert con-
fict or insure speedy victory.
AeropIanes, Submarines, Battle Cruis'
| We need aeroplanes, the modern
eyes Of war;. submarines, and battle
cruisers Of the largest, swiftest ano
heaviest armed type.
! The present successes of sub
marines have made some think we
need only submarines. That is an er'
roneous idea.
Probably never again will geo.
graphical conditions of enclosed seas
of contracted area. and the close
proximity Of the be.ligerents. be sc
favorable to submarines as in the
present Struggle.
Certainly they alone are not sui
ficient for us where conditions are SC
~
broad oceans, with our possible enc
mics at long range.
Some feel we should prepare only
for defense. There is no defense sc
effective as a vigorous offensive.
A battle cruiser squadron of the
largest and swiftest type, with its ac-
cessories of destroycrs and hydro
3.e!opla les. is the long arm with which
to destroy an eneE1:'s commerce or
rive il from the sea; TO strike smash
~. blows at his home coasts; TO make
transport service impossible; and to
! %, his fighting ships unless as
...',.c., il powerful battleship fleets.
.;,lnnla, ines will he the guard, and
battle cruisers the counter for US III
naval warfare.
Eighteen months ago the aeroplane
was sport, an experiment, a mine
fer the inventor and me- .7anicai engi-
ncer. Today it is vital to our de-
; Tense.
Captain Clark of the Army Avia.
ton Corps, formerly an officer of the
navy. has prepared a plan for the use
Of the hydro aeroplane as a vital ad-
junct of our coast defense
He divides the Atlantic coast from
Roanoke sound to Portland into three
sections, and shows three offshore
uydro -aeroplane courses or beats. the
northern one from Portland to New
Vort. the central from Shinnecook Bay,
L. l., to Cape May. and the southern
! ono from Chincoteague Bay to Roa-
noie Sound. The centers Of these
sections are Boston, New York and
Hampton Roads.
over each of these offshore courses
in time Of war. hydro eroplane
would make daily flights back and
forth. In this way three hydro
aeroplanes would make more COM
piete reconnaissance than would be
possible with a score of the fastest
destroyers."
Captain Clark SAYS: On day OF
average atmospheric transparency, an
observer in a machine flying at q
! height of 1000 feet could make out
fleet of vessels at a distance Of at
least fifty nautical miles and the size
of the fleet. the character Of vessels.
and the direction Of movement would
Tense commanders. The report would,
at the very least, give the coast artil-
lery personnel at New York, Fort
Monroe. Boston, and Philadelpnls.
fifteen hours. and at the other fortified
oints within the zone eight hours adj
vance notice Of the approach Of an
enemy. At. an altitude Of about 7oo
feet submarine mines are distinctly
visible from the air above and from ~
attitude OF 1000 feet the movements OF
a submarine may be easily observed
The Red Signal.
In conclusion, let me quote the fol-
lowing to show you what is in the
mind of more than one informed and
thinking man among US today.
1.-The western hemisphere is the
richest. most accessible and most
easily conquered portion Of the globe
1t is tempting prize to an insatiate
victor or g. hungry loser Of the present
European struggle
The new Catholic orphanage OF
Hammond street, Bangor, to be know
as Mt st. Michaers Home. was dedi
| Gated Thursday with mass celebrated
tI M n