Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-26
AERIAL FLEET URGED
BY SANTOS-DUMONT
Continued from Page One

Eliminated cavalry as a factor in battle.
An aviator has a vision of a hundred
miles from his machine. Compare this to
{ the three or -four miles that the look
out on a battlcship has and you will
readily see the advantage the aviator has.
is common knowledge that the airship
ieet in America is so small that it is
practically negligible
MUST HAVE OPERATORS.
To the suggestion that i'm time of war
the hundreds of Curtiss biplanes now
being sent every month TO England and
France could be also turned out for the
american armies in case of war. Mr..
santos-Dumcnt replied that there would
not be enough operators in the country
70 make them OF any value.
There ought to be large schools of
aviation established If this country is
really making an effort to prepare
against war ana possible INVASION 1t
won't do much good TO establish these
sehools after war Is declared" The ia
meus aviator smiled. while men were
Volunteering and being trained for the
service, the enemy would be here throw
lhg bombs all over the country" Subm -
Imes can be readily detected by aviat1rs,
sad Mr. Santos DuInont.
IL Is most peculiar thing but from
me height of 1000 feet, more or less, it Is
possible to see Though water below for
depth of about six feet, y torpedo can
ye literally dropped out of the sky on
.ne underwater terrors without danger
y the aerial craft. 1t has been said that
Aeroplanes are losing out because they
Is now obliged to fly at a height of two
llles In order to avoid the enemy's guns
put on the contrary, they are becoming
more effective every day
ne Germans have perfected machine
may VIII carry q persons. The Curtiss
haehlne. which itself weighs 2l,OOO
bVohds, can carry a load of two tons.
s2he or the machines attain a speed OF
~ miles an hour. 1t is terrible to con-
Hhlpiate such frightful machines for the
nssHuetion of cities and humanity, but
Isy are an established fact and must be
laeed. Some have as many as seven
1ao'ofs OF 1000 horsepower. 1t is becoming
sss and less risky to manipulate them.
mere Is now being perfected a system of
salolnatic control in case of the injury OF
lns driver. If this country centred its
..tnsrsles on its aerOplane corps l do not
NilA II would have TO reckon very seri-
gl9ll with invasion for the simple reason
saat an enemy would not be able to get
4saf enough to do any damage"
BOMBS SHOT FROM GUNS.
ar santos-Dumont laughed at the
.snlliiar pictures of aviators leaning over
me side of the ship and dropping bombs
~ tne enemy from a height of less than
thousand feet.
me bombs are hung in an opening ana
opped by pulling a string or lever some
~ snot from guns in the more advanced
1'Aehlnes. If man leaned over the side
u would be blown right out of his ma
siine by the force OF the air. He has TO
ISM himself pretty snugly in straps 10
seat behind a clever windshield TO
suck TO his guns.
me aviator was asked whether he had
sssf contemplated joining the air force
!. any Of the warning countries.
set enough excitement out OF trying
~ Inventions without being shot al from
sas and he replied. II have no inten-
~ OF getting mixed up In the war,
Aale been In this country four months
s.a have made several flights. But it's
W sold fer aeroplaning these days.
going back to Brazil next month TO
80 on some ideas / have gotten here.
aly believe that the wars OF the tu-
sls Viii be Won or lost by aeroplanes
h ireless- controlled machines pay
Ate trenches, navles and even
g certain extent. Artillery for