The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-02-11

| seems experiments were more SlBHu-
cant, aviation as a service in the army
was apparently neglected. The idea
Of protecting flying corps with steel
amor, at one time considered, was
abandoned and was only taken up
again after German armored flying
machines had been captured.
The French also stuck to the mon
oplane until they had captured
enough of the German biplanes to
give them demonstrative proof that
they were superior for most different
kinds of air work. The French also
learned from the Germans that Sc
cunty at great height is fallacious.
Fragments of shells reached them
even at a height of $500 yards, while
at 1900 yards it is often more diff
| cult for the gunners to get the range.
The fire at that point is generally
too high.
Again, at the beginning. the
French aviation service used the
same type of machine for all kinds
of missions. All at once they dis
covered that the German machine
that made raid on a metropolitan
center or military point was rot the
same as the machine that regulated
the fire of the artillery. The result
of this was the beginning of CLASH
fcatlon of aircraft with reference to
special adaptability.
Marked Difference.
There was also at the beginning a
marked difference in the tactics en-
}ployed by the German and French
airmen. The former appeared to
avoid contact with the latter, either
with a view of concentrating their
efforts upon other objects than indi-
vidual combats or with the idea that
the encounter might be equal. The
explanation now given by COM
petent authority is that the Germans
lost their best aviators at the very
outset of the war. This fact was dis
closed by the notebook Of German
aviator killed near Verdun, February
4, this year. AS early as September
10, 1914, the Germans lost Fursten-
air, Neumann, Dallurg, Beaulieu,
Gresch, Jahnow, Koch, Blutgen, Hey
den and Baudissin. This is further
confirmed by a German aviator made
prisoner, who said that they had
found the greatest difficulty in replac-
ing these men killed or captured.
This seems to explain the French
claim that with less efficient material
French aviators accomplished more
tangible results, such as the destruc-
ton OF artillery, the blowing up Of
ammunition depots, destruction Of Yep
pellns and Zeppelin sheds, and dam
age to the enemy's field works. The
French army Is said to have ample
proofs to this effect in orders Of the
day issued from the German general
headquarters, impressing upon the
officers and men carefully studied
ways Of avoiding dangerous arms OF
the French flying corps.
There seems to be more esprit de
corps among the alrmen than in any
other branch Of the service and
greater mutual courtesy between Of
ticers OF the different armies. The
most recent manifestation Of 1t was
the dropping by Corporal Kandulskt
of the German flying corps, a wreath
upon the spot where he had brought
the celebrated Pegoud to earth, bear
ing this inscription: ITO Pegoud,
or enemy. who died like hero.
Signed, his adversaries."
Precedent Established.
In September, 1914, a German pr
Hot established this precedent by
dropping in the French lines a
courteous notice to the effect that
Lieutenant Fouret had been made
prisoner at the camp of Chalons.
Later on a German aviator dropped
behind the French lines a letter from
the pilot, Senouque, who had been
captured by the Germans. IN May Of
this year, when Thauron and Blanc
pain we're brought down by the Ger
man artillery, a German aviator few
over the lines and dropped a paper
giving the circumstances, and ter
minatlng with these words: "Thau-
ron and BIancpain died the death Of
the brave. Military .honors were ac-
corded, to them" when the well
known artist Daniel de LosQues was
killed|in an aerial combat during the
reutrn OF his squadron from the at
tack upon Sarrebruck, one of the
enemy's fotilla dropped a notice
Estating de Losques and his pilot
fought braHely. They are buried at