The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-07-20
AEROPLANES
FOR OUR TROOPS
And Air Ports for
Our Towns


Camp Governor Gates, Fort Ethan AL
len. on the 9Th instant. This Is the
outgrowth OF propaganda headed by
Major Wallace Batchelder In com
mand OF the First Vermont Cavalry
The primary object OF this scheme is
to give chance to those who wish
to cooperate In doing all that may be
done to protect our troops by assist
ing in furnishing funds and dissent
mating information regarding aviation
opportunities and needs.
The Importance Of aviation for pre-
paredness for Vermont and the eco
nomic development OF each OF its
towns cannot be over emphasized. 1t
is fully evidenced by the fact that
the meeting was addressed by Cover
nor Gates, Rear Admiral Robert f..
Peary. discoverer Of the North Pole
and now in charge of developing aero
nautics for coast patrol of the Uni
ted States; and Augustus Post who
has been at the forefront OF the de-
velopment of aviation. These three
gentlemen addressed the meeting, and
there were also present .Adjutant Gen
eral Tillotson, Major Batchelder with
his cavalry regiment, Mrs Batchel-
der, Mother of the Regiment, General
Peck and Commodore Wadhams,
many ladies and other distinguished
guests.
The Club starts out with member
ship of 40 and with the following
Board of Directors: Governor Gates,
Col. Ira l.. Reeves. Major Wallace
Batchelder, Horace +. Graham, Red
field Proctor, w. O. Schofield OF Bur-
| lingon, Clarke N. Fits of Brattleboro,
James p. Taylor and James HARNESS..
The officers elected were James Hart
ness, President, Adj, Gen. Tillotson,
| Vice President; Dean II. r. Roberts
| of Norwich University, Treasurer and
James p. Taylor of Burlington, Secre-
tary.
The way in which this new organ
ization offers an opportunity for YER
monters to cooperate along the lines
above indicated is through sending
In names applying for membership
in the Club. 1t is not necessary to
be an aviator or to be especially in
terested in this subject.
To those who cannot conveniently |
assist In this way there is another |
way by which very valuable assist |
ance can be rendered along the lines |
OF preparedness and protection for |
Vermont and that is by sending in
formation to the Secretary of the
Club that will lead to establishing a
suitable landing place for each town.
To understand this last phase, it is
only necessary to point out that in
case of an invasion of Vermont our
aviators would be sorely handicapped
by the contour of the country, and
the fact that trees, stone walls, tele-
graph wires, bitches and other things
frequently cross the only natural
places near town on which a ma
chine could land and from which it
could fly.
In the present state of the art II
takes very expert aviator to land
on piece of ground that affords less
than run of quarter Of a mile.
and the landing place must be nearly
level, fairly smooth and hard 1t
must measure at least a quarter OF a
mile In every direction in order to
make 1t possible in any wind, for
the aeroplane takes flight and lands
most favorably facing the wind. II
there are two narrow pieces OF land
in a town. one affording landing
places for winds north and south, and
another for winds from east and west,
these two fields together will con-
stitute an air harbor for the town.
The rapid development OF the air ,,
craft makes Il 9eGessary for Boards
OF Trade and individuals WHO afa !:
planning Tor the fgtpre growth Of the !
town to have an eye out to the pre-
not only along military
lines, but also to catch the wave OF
that the air craft Is to
VI ms W TIC luidnu lUWHB. Our great q
est cities were first established at r
5eaports, afterwards at railroad juno b
lions, and now 1t takes no prophet to Q
see that II will be but a short time h
when towns most favorable for air /,
craft will have a distinct advantage 4
over other towns. This is not an o
occasion for any one to buy up all RI
such sites. II Is not an occasion by I,
which a grasping person can make h
my special benefit out OF the stu II
alton. The real benefit comes to h
he owner OF such a landing to do II
whatever he can, cooperating with W
own authorities and Boards OF is
Trade, to eliminate bitches, walls. In
wire fences, telegraph, telephone and Of
lectric wires and those things that le
you'd prevent a machines landing. RI
n event OF hostilities many such In
hings could be quickly removed, but 81
here are other things that might be IA
itilcult to change after once estab-
shed. The Air Harbor or Port viii
q the center Of the towns OF the
lture. u
E'tar4b fpf on