The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-09

machine tue IdQluS VI WHICH 10 LOU
miles, is respectfully referred to
Congress.
Inefficiency marks thepurchase of
new material. Early in April the
much-heralded dirigible was deliver
ed to the Pensacola station. 1t cost,
first and last, about $250,000 or one
quarter of the years entire approp-
ration for aeronautics in the navy.
1t is about one-quarter as large as
modern Zeppelin, is lacking in many
of the latest features of dirigibles
and would not be of any use in war.
1T is merely an expensive toy that
does not command the respect of any
who knows anything about aerial
navigation. No adequate hanger
was provided for it and few days
after it was received it sailed away,
unnamed, in a high wind, and only
by goo duck was recovered undam-
aged, a hundred miles from Pensa-
i cola.
Flying is best learned by flying.
Constant practice gives the pilot the
| control of his machine and the cool,
quick head that stand between him
and death. He must fly and fly and
fly to get these qualities so firmly
fixed in his mental makeup that
they become second nature. That
is why it is so disastrous for the sc
commissioned students and the 1C
emitted ones to have only seven OF
eight machines at their disposal. II
makes 1t impossible for anyone K
get enough practice to become an ex
pert within a reasonable time. Som'
of the officers have attained remark
able proficiency, however, and dur
ing the past winter several of then
J have successfully shot wild duck
! from their planes
Navy men are busy with aviation
problems. One young officer ha
nearing completion a steam engin
for aeroplanes that may revolution
ize the flying art The superior re
liability of the steam engine over tn
internal combustion type and tn
greater flexibility of control woul
be great advantages if the practice
difficulties of the present steam en-
gines could be overcome.
The cruiser North Carolina
mother ship Of the aviation corp
and from her deck aeroplanes hs
- been launched by catapult al
= rangement, the details of which al
. a secret. A photograph of tn
= launching was reproduced in Leslie
!, for December 2, 1915. The devit
:. that accomplished this was the wor
;. of the aviation officers. Its poss
bilities are far reaching All OF
- seaplanes, heretofore, have taken tt
"A air from the surface of the wateI
Their propellers, working in the al
: get up the necessary spectator
40 miles an hour-and then the ell
~ walton of the horizontal rudders lif
,o them off the water To launch
seaplane from the deck of a ship
ot must be given an initial velocity
40 miles an hour. Many other pro
10 lens would be solved by the same G
los ganiZation If 1t had the means
nc its disposal. Every citizen of t
United States who has the good
,os his country at heart, or who war
70 to feel an honest pride in the la
IN of his birth ought to do little m
uv sionary work with his Congressm
NO at once. Then America, the la
10 that gave the flying machine to t
4, world, would not be at the rear
nd the procession in aviation matt,
for long. At present that Is WHIT
zoo 1t stands, not because its priv,
40. enterprise lags, but on account
mn the unwisdom and niggardliness
aed its government. America furnisl
a co the best flying craft the Allied
ara lions use. Its own army and Ms
9th has the worst.
Ter
. ATTCpnDn AEYN1Tcnrn