New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-21
Provisions for Captive
Balloons and Modified
Zeppelins Asked
SWIFT FLYERS
TO GUARD COAST
Border Patrol Extended
More Aeroplanes for
Overseas GarrisOnS


Washington, Feb. 2O.-An authorita-
tive outline of the plans under which
the army General staff will spend 49,
100000 for aircraft this year was OBJ
tanned from high army sources to-day,
The appropriation is part Of the forti-
fcations bill nov pending in Congress,
and includes provision for obtaining a
sufficient personnel to supplement the
inadequate force now available, the
purchase of suitable modern planes and
engines and the training of officer-ob-
servers.
Provision for captive balloons and
for airships of a modified Zeppelin type
has been asked by the General Staff,
and may be included in the conference
report.
The general purposes for which the
staff plans to use aeroplanes are: Pa
troll and reconnaissance on and beyond
the borders Of continental United
States at the outbreak of war, scout
ing and reconnaissance with the mobile
forces in war and the use OF aircraft
by overseas garrisons.
In the opinion of the army staff, the
aircraft required in connection with
the harbor defences should consist of
machines used for one or more Of the
following purposes:
For reconnoissance-that is, to de-
termine the strength, dispositions and
probable intentions of the enemy.
For preventing hostile aerial recon-
noissance.
For destroying hostile aircraft, and
for offensive work against enemy sub
marines and other vessels, including
the interruption Of enemy mining o.
countermining operations.
For aiding in spottlng the fire of
coast artillery, both against ships and
against any invading force that may in.
vest the seacoast Notifications.
Aid to Mobile Defences
In addition, aircraft are required
with modern movable coast defence
armament employed as an auxiliary
element of the mobile forces in de-
Tending the intervals between our for
tilted harbors and with units of the
mobile forces.
The use Of aircraft with the mobile
units, says the General staff, is dem
mite matter; each division requires one
squadron of twelve aeroplanes.
These are divided into three COM
panes Of four aeroplanes each, two
companies having reconnaissance ara
artillery observation machines, and one
company having two high speed
machines especially constructed Tor
long distance reconnaissance and for
combating the enemy's aerial craft;
and two battle machines for the pur-
oil
work against the enemy material OF all
sorts. This is understood to be in
keeping with the best practice in Eu-
rope.
Discussing general types of aircraft,
the General staff makes certain obser-
vations on captive balloons, dirigibles
and aeropianes of various types. OF
captive balloons. whose principal tunc-
tion has been that of observation, the
General staff asserts that this type OF
aircraft is used not only with the field
forces. but also in fortress warfare.
The organizations which handle these
balloons consist ordinarily Of some
four officers and seventy-two men for
each balloon section. In many cases
the captive balloons work in conJunc-
tion with aeToplanes. Their function,
as they have been adapted to the pres
ent war in Europe, has been 10 observe
the fire Of artillery end keep watch of
all movements of hostile parties within
their field Of view.
The suggestion is made that while
dirigibles and aeroplanes are frequent
" compared with each other as to their
utility in general, they are, as a matter
Of fact. two entirely different military
accessories and are as different IN
many ways as is q captive balloon from
an aerOplane.
In the present war dirigibles have
been used over land and sea. The Ger
man Zeppelin is Of the rigid frame
type. It's speed is from fifty to sixty
or more miles an hour and its full
gpeed endurance is Of over one nun
bred hours, or more than four days.
The best non-rigid and semi-rigid dir
ipibles have "A maximum speed Of fifty
miles an hour and full speed endur-
ance Of about twenty-four hours. Their
great asset is extreme portability and
cheapness as compared with the rigid,
or Zeppelin. type
Heavier-thAn-air craft are divided
into three classes-scout or speed ma