Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-01


ing to one military authority. the
Will end only when one nation 4
ceeds in invcnting a weapon that -
capable of destroying the enemy'H
aerial power.
Under these circums stances IL Ia i'm
possible for one army to make single
move that is not spied upon from the
mandcr decided to nank 100000 men
against what he Is informed by his
air scout is weak position. the French
army is Immediately apprised OF II by
IT'S airmen and moves up men TO meet
the situation, forming deadlock with
the air scouts flying ovcrheai-dif-
hcult targets of the most proficient
the question.
Speed Is Only Protection.
The work Of the air scout u prob
ably the most dangerous Of hll the
dangerous work Of war. since the only
protection of the aeroplanc is usually
It's speed. The men !r the trenches
are not to be envied and duly on a
battleship is not by any means a
sinecure, but the sensation bf peer
Ing down at the ene,ny WHO Is en-
gagged in firing protcc,.les thousands
of feet into the air with the idea OF
hitting you, could hardly be termed
sport" as one optimistic English.
man described 1t. Yet IL you WI
an air scout you would doubtless ti
the same risks and proudly count
fresh bullet holes in the wings of v
machine every day tog ether with
rest Of the flying CORDS, as Is
custom In Europe Among his OF
requirements. which include watct
"a Paragraph. speed gauge, &
graphical map before him and n
pass while keeping an eye on
a. IN tCf nTltt L..
motor and acting quickly in
emergency. the air scout is no
lowed TO have nerves
The only way to combat his yirf
besides firing at him with the an
craft gun, is to trick his eve.
'he English army. on perceivins
man dirgible approaching. droppe
Kits and fed into an adjacent
Inc Germans. thinking the kits
men. opened tremendous boz
ment upon them, destroyin. th&
but leaving the soldiers uni
Another time. the Germans n
peaceful retreat by means of
dummy trenches displaying
helmets, which were reported
German army by Fren,h air scout.
British air scout flying high aboy6
the German lines one day was ereat
surprised by the constan. arrival aIn
a certain road OF thousands OF =
vision wagons. They were stip
irving when the German guna<
hre upon him. and he was
to return to his own lIlss
day, however. he was d
ing duty. and discovered
the numerous wagona
being emptied OF sold
hidden underneath the p
Planes Now Garry,
Most of the aeropla
wireless apparatus WITH
tie they direct the fire
far below. Formerly.
were used in the day Il
lights at night. while 80
dropped silver balls to -
ing, but now the Office
mon by wireless. WI
guides the machine.
The aeroplane as
weapon has not yet bec(
although occasionally A .
to do considerable DANA
son that 1T Is still in
state. The difficulty Il
that the weight OF bo
wireless apparatus, arm
camera, etc, cannot be
the sacrifice of speed
power engine is not
sufficient to run q la
craft One German md
mored biplane, with
twenty men, four mach
aircraft gun and motord
horse power engines,
stripped all other inv
weight carrying capaci
but Others Of far grea
are now in process of
Is the slow-movinE dir
ent, however. which h
enemy and destroys hin
Is too rapid and light d
direct the fire, scout, al
1t is the aeroplane dest
the war waits to end.
While the aeroplane 1
it's value as an agent of
1t is developing comm
the United States. 1t
mails. When the war
lions OF Europe, with
of areoplanes will prob
example OF the United S
established the frst aet