The Washington herald., 1915-12-19
Nv f., b. JOHNS.

The official report of the cross-country
| fight from Fort Sill, Okla, to Fort Sam
Houston. Tex. by the first aero sG<iad-
ron. Signal Corps, U. S. A. which was
| received at the War Department yester-
day. shows that the aeroplanes moved
with such precision that the Secretary OF
War has commended the aviators in the
highest terms The Secretary declares
that he is highly gratified with the re-
suits obtained, and Is convinced that the
Signal Corps is keeping pace with the
progress of aviation. In its conclu-
sion. the official report states:
In cross-country flights OF this char
acter II Is a physical impossibility for
any land transportation to keep up the
pace set by aeroplanes in flight.
During the entire flight from Fort Sill
to San Antonio the aeroplanes had to he
kept in the open air, day and night
without covering, due TO the inability OF
the truck transportation to arrive at
stopping places with the field hangers.
To allow long croSs-country flights OF
this character to be made. steps should
be taken to have suitable landing places
selected in the vicinity OF large towns
from 100 to 30 miles apart. Temporary
shelters should be erected AT these places
for housing all aeroplanes.
"Thes. landing places should be Sc
lected with particular reference TO rail-
road communication, in order that ma
chimes and supplies can be readily sent
from place to place. Judging from the
reception that this organization received
in all towns where stops were made. II
is my opinion that towns and cities
throughout the country would be glad to
furnish the land and put up temporary
he iS nv ep.arlV handled
"The squadron transportation. consist
ing of seven Jeffrey (quad) trucks. one
White truck and two trailmobiles, wa:
subjected to a very hard test on the trip
All trucks carried a load Of from one
to one and one-half tons. Many miles of
rough roads and long stretches of deep
sand were covered. particularly on that
part of the trip from Fort Sill to Fort
Worth. Nearly every day of the trip al
least one truck would break through a
weak ;, idse and considerable time was
lost. daily. on this account
1T was expected that many bad
bridges would be encountered en- route
and each truck. before leaving Fort Sill.
had been provided with wrecking equip
ment for overcoming these difficulties
Except for the loss by fire of one of the
Jeffrey trucks, at Fort Worth, and for
few minor repairs to nearly all trucks
cellent shape"
The summary of flights and distances
Travelled are stated as follows: "Novem-
ber 19-Fort Sill Okla, to Wichita Falls,
Tex: airline distance, 81 miles; duration
of flight. 36 minutes. November 20
Wichita Falls. Tex. to Fort Worth. Tex;
airline distance, 10 miles: duration Of
fight. hours. November Fort Worth.
Tex, to Waco. Tex: air line distance, 30
miles; duration of flight, l hour and 40
minutes November 23-Waco. Tex. to
Austin. Tex; airline distance to Aiustin
direct, los miles: duration of flight. ]
hour and 30 minutes. December 2G-Aus-
tin. Tex. to San Antonio. Tex: airline
distance, 80 miles: duration of flight. J
hour and 40 minutes"
Under the administrations five-year
naval program. the strength of the
Marine Corps will probably be raised
from 10000 to $4,000 or $4,000. In this
increase there will be included 800
additional officers.
The Secretary of Navy has already
outlined the increase in the strength
of the Marine Corps which should be
included in this years legislative pro-
gram. This will call for an addition
of fifty-four officers and 1.500 men.
The officers in the Secretary's recon-
mendations for an increase are one
brigadier general. two colonels, two
colonels, six majors, four
teen captains. fourteen first lieuten-
ants, thirteen second lieGtenants, one
a assistant quartermaster with the rank
of colonel, one assistant paymaster
with the rank of major. fifteen war
rant officers six quartermaster clerks
and one clerk to the assistant paymas-
ter.
The details of working out the in
crease in the official personnel for the
five-year program Is in the hands of
the Roosevelt personnel board. This
will probably include at least two
more sbrigadier. generals. There will
not be as large an increment for each
of the succeeding years in the num-
ber of officers as is provided for in
the first year. The large increase in |
the first year is due to the present
shortage of officers In the higher |
grades. Under the plans 1t is under |
stood that the Marine Corps Is to be |
% that thnrA viii bn at