The Cordova daily times., 1917-08-14

possibility of submarine making such crossing was denied by most people, including some high naval authorities. In outlining the plans for the aerial coast patrol We decided, therefore, on a bare skeIe. ton organization. allowing only one aeroplane In connection with each unit
 The revolutionary changes that have taken place make 1t necessary to ex- tend the plan, increasing the number or aeroplanes to each unit to four.
 The aerial coast patrol Is 10 provide a continuous picket line of seaplanes or flying boats fifty miles or more off shore around our entire coasts, from Eastport' Me. to Brownsville, Tex. and from San Diego. Cal, to Cape Flattery, Wash, each machine travel Ing back and forth over its section, or beat" a winged sentinel. forming a cofdon, continuous line of whirring shuttles, weaving q blanket of proted- ton around the country.
 By means of the wireless. informa- tion as to the character, number and apparent destination of approaching ships will be transmitted to the shore stations and from these to Washing ton. whence if the ships are hostile or ders will issue directing the move ments of our fleet and the submarine squadrons for the preparation of the coast defenses and for the concentra. ton Of troops if necessary. while re- serve planes hurrying out will keep the approaching craft under continuous Inspection while themselves invisible.
 Such system is departure. The like of it exists nowhere at present and yet it involves no new principle but Is simply the utilization and multi. pllcation of the known capabilities of single seaplane.
 Had there been such a system round the British isles the Lusitania horror would not have occurred
 Let us note the advantage of this system in war now that war has been declared. This advance notice of tha approach of the enemy Is the first sten th modern warfare hours and even minutes may spell victory The enemy IS still unaware that his approach is bhoWh, for the sentinel seaplane was invisible to him. With the next sten n cloud of appliances sweep out in such numbers as to overwhelm and destroy the enemy's aeropIanes. leaving him blinded Thes follow the squadrons of great battle triplanes, each machine carrying several tons of high explo- | siRes to drop upon the hostile fleet | You can imagine the result.
 We should have at a minimum not less than 2,000 hydroaeroplanes avail apie on each coast, and We should have an aviator class in numbers like our chauffeur class.
 ms IS matter of pressing indi- 'iduai interest to Philadelphla. to baltimore, to Washington, to Portland. o Seattle and other cities. In an ayia Ton sense these cities are just as much 'oast cities as New York. or Boston, or Norfolk, or San Francisco.
 Tn the present development of the ciehce Of aviation tramp steamship Vith squadron of aeroplanes and CIV tons Of high explosives. creeping shore in thick weather, might ruin ny one or these cities in a single light.
 The coast patrol, however, Is but one eature Of the country's needed aerial { evelopment. To obtain that develop lent, to give us an air service sufficient or our protection to secure for t,s that ( ltal command of the air, there Is one asic thing7Which we should have now department of aeronautics, separate 1 ( rom and independent of both the army nd the navy, its head member of the . residential cabinet in full and undi- lded control of d comprehensive aero >ast defense system, which our pc . lliar geographical position and ex- 'nded coast line render imperative: of system of aviation training schools, . cated in each of the principal geo 'aphical divisions of the country, and = the civil and commercial avenues of usefulness. With our resources and mechanics. . 'nius under the spur of concentrated id undivided attention, such depart ent may In the near future be mol . tai to our national safety and in- gritty than either the navy or the . my.