The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-08

enemy. 1t becomes obvious at once
that our aerial forces must be deliv- |
cred in proximity to these oasis.
Denied aeroplanes, our coast de-
fences, as well as our ships, are no
longer modernly efficient. Whether
ashore or afloat, a gun hat is a~erially
eyeless is blind in the modern sense OF
the word. With its rapidly increasing
bore and heirhtening angle OF eleva-
ton, the growing CUR is fast passing
in range beyond the ability Of the OBJ
seryer aground to spot It's shots But,
en, 1!faIlans noM aaus f!!!es C!Apne
G%unncr's vision.
Navy engineers several years ago
constructed a device which is capable
OF launching an aeroplane from ship
board. This launching gun has beer
operated successfully from shore and
for many months has awaited installa-
tion n practical Use ahoat. This.
with ar adequate complement of sea-
planes in the hands OF "A we'll trained
and sufficiently numerous personnel.
will bring to the modern battleship a
range a multiplicity. a minuteness Of
vision such as the master ship has
never had.
The war has shown that the aero
plane is an Incompatible scout. With
4, three times the speed of a ship OF the
line Il may go far afield and regain its
vessel al will, and with a trained OBJ
server and a wireless outfit il a
communicate its discoveries while
within iifty miles Of its base. 1t is the
natural enemy Of the submarine, being
able to detect the latter though deeply
submerged and TO outdistance it In a
race for any given point. while a sub
marine awash is in danger from the
aeroplane's bombs. Likewise the aero
plane is the enemy of the mine. for
from its position overhead these also
are easily detected.
At the Dardanelles IL was shown
that the aeroplane is an indefensible
aid in %gunfire. particularly where the
range has got beyond h reach of
the masthead spoilers. as well as
where indirect fire il necessary. AS "A
weapon of offence II has extraordi-
nary uses. for II can sink small craft.
even merchant vessels. and harass
all ships Of war. II can aid landing
parties. And there is still another inn
portant function which the %seaplane
is being fitted to perform. Rear Ad-
miral F'iske has succeeded in convert
ing the %seaplane into an aerial tor
pedo craft and so arranging it that
n torpedo may be launched with Ease
and precision. Such a craft may at
tack 10y night. is difficult to hit. is
possessed of more speed than any
L.. - --.- LII
aboard ship, and a respectively large
fleet may he built for the cost of one
submarine. II appears. therefore, that
the submarine is % TO have the last
word in the battle weapons.
or the value OF the dirigible II is
yet too early to speak with certainty.
While in its primitive forms. this
craft has been used with moderate
success for purposes of observation.
As a Ions distance carrier II sur
passes the aeroplane's present radius
and capacity. but its bulk, its compar-
alive slowness. it's infammability.
vulnerability to attack and great cos
tempt one to advise hat II is no more
than a minor part in our system of
defence.
III VI Pb''iS WI Nv !
planes absolute necessity for our de-
fence our military no less thar our
naval forces shout he put upon "A
modern aerial footing without IA mo-
ment of unnecessary delay. our mi
litia also should be equipped and
trained, while a reserve " practised
pilots should he maintained to be
drawn upon in case of emergency. To
create such a reserve as well as to
raise the efficiency Of our postal ser
vice advantage should promptly he
taken OF the request of the POstinas-
t~er-General hat he he permitted to
establish aerial routes wherever they
may prove to he advantageous.
Opinions differ as to the extent to
which we should aerialize our forces
The War Department has shown in
telliGent activity from the the
aeroplane became u disable vehicle. but
unfortunately. because Of the igno-
rance OF those in Congress IN hav
controlled its appropriations, II has
been permitted to make but little II
any progress in aerOnautics, AS to
what " to he the attitude Of the next
Congress with respect 10 the now vital
subject of our aerial defence none OF
us knows. hut II Ia fair to presume
that its members. because Of the wal
and because OF u work. will have
seen n great light, and hat the de-
risivo laughter which used to assail