The Washington times., 1917-03-05
NORTHCLIFFE GIVES
PRAISE ETOAVIATORS
Pictures the Striking Advances
Made in Flying Since the
War Began.

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''warplanes." Lord Northcliiffe. in his
most recent book. AT the War" gives
description Of the various types now In
use over the battle lines in Europe. Be-
fore taking up the various types he pays
a tribute to the Wright brothers. and to
the inventive genius Of the United
States. This allusioD is significant when
the aerial status Of the United States II
contrasted with that Of the various fight
ing nations. whose constructors are pro-
ducing modern aeroplanes by the thou
sands. each Of the more recent designs .
better and more deadly engine Of war
than any yet manufactured here.
Like the modern machine gun. and
other war Developments. the aeroplane
began in the United States" Lord
Northcllffe says. The two brothers
Wright Of Dayton. Ohio. were the men
who revolutionized the business Of war.
have often wondered II in the Wrights'
early experience at Kitty Hawk. Va,
they realized to the full the tremendous
weapon they were placing in the hands
Of modern artillerymen.
81 knew Wilbur Wright and saw
some Of the beginnings of aviation
Orville, the remaining brother, has
behaved with great generosity to Us
in the disposal OF the British patents
We have as yet accorded no official
recognition to the Wrights.
Value - wrishts Work
There are four purposes In the
war to which the invention of those
modest inventors has been put, and
a.. a.. wouA1U-
tionary change In warfare On the
whole, 1 should say that the direc-
tion of artillery fire Is the chief
result as yet attained by the use OF
the wrights' invention Artillery
work has, of course. produced by far
the greatest amount of damage on
land since the war began. Without
the aeroplane, big guns would be of
little use, except against objects WIS.,
ible to the artilleryman- With the
aeroplane, from which signals can
be made by wireless or by day cleo
trio heIiograph, the artilleryman soon
learns his errors, and, owing to the
precision of modern weapons, can
follow with amazing sureness the ad-
vice of the aeroplane observer.
'sThe type OF machine used for OBJ
serving, like all the latest patterns
of warplanes, Is now armored with
steel in its most vulnerable parts ana
provided with a machine gun In case
II should be attacked These observ-
ing aeroplanes should be able, as far
as Is possible, to hover In the air In
order that the man with the telescope
who sits In front or behind the pilot
may be able to see as accurately as
possible where the shells are fall
ing. But the observing aeroplane mas
to be sufficiently rapid to escape the
plane that will certainly be
sent up after 1t as speedily as 1t Is
s. s.. ef- e.
French Machines In the Lead
"a second type comprises the Tight
ing planes: These. should be armed. as
heavily as possible, and 1t is mo- secret
hat the French are putting quite
large cannon In aeroplanes. They
NAV be managed by one, two, or three
men. and In certain types each OF the
men may be conbatant- In this
matter OF adaptability of aeroplanes
TO air fighting the French, VINO
speedily developed the Wrights m
Yention, took the lead.
"Such machines are Atted with
worked from dynamos
iriyen by little windmills in the
planes. They are provided with
either a small cannon or one OF two
machine guns, and the fighting man
s further armed with a long-distance
revolver. His work is the most dan
zerous in the war. 1t Is a game FOR
young men only, and for the very
,ick of the human race as regards
thickness, audacity. knowledge OF
.ngine, coolness, resource, and good
shooting. Such a man must be pre-
pared. IL necessary to dive head fore
most i 900 or 1000 feet at the enemy.
de is the man on whom we rely to
kill the Zeppelins.
.Srhe early air duels were of slow
The battles of today re-
lembIe the swift flight of the swallow
md the sweep of the hawk.
81 am indebted to the French au-
horities for opportunity of close
Itudy. OF their machines and methods.
have also seen something of the
Iplendid work of the Royal Flying
,orps in France.
Engine vital Factor.
"Air fighting Is changing so rapidly
hat the attempt to simplification OF
. complex and new arm may be out
II date before the book is out OF the
hands Of the binders.
"The vital factor OF the aeroplane-
Ind this applies to all four types with
which am dealing-is the engine, its
and weight The heavier the
engine, the slower the machines abil-
ty to rise and the less gun-weight and
and petrol 1t can carry.
"a third~type of aeroplane, which
las attracted the most attention, but
vas not really been so important as
he first and second types / have de-
lcribed, Is the bomb-dropper. At the
of the war bomb-dropping
vas very effective, because the flyers,
n the absence of efficient anti-air-
raft artillery, were able to fly low
md aim carefully at ammunition
iepots, railroad functions, Zeppelin
heds, and other fairly large objects.
guns speedily caused the
Iirmen to fly much higher, and today,
L 10000 to $4,000 feet, they have little
.hance of aiming with such degree
" precision. They can hit a town,
" course, but to damage a particular
in a town Is more or less
hance work. Flying at this height
IN aeroplane could perhaps hit Water
90 Station or the stock exchange dis
rict, but 1t could not with certainty
ocate, let us say, particular build