Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-25
AIRCRAFFA AND SUBMARINE
CHANGE WARS OF FUTURE
Neither So Costly as Dreadnoughts
on batteries OF Large
Guns.
FOR USE IN TIMES OF TEAcs
Devices Applicable to Work Of De-
struction May Be Made Helpful In
Constructive EfYort-Othcr Inter.
csting Fields OF Discovery.
NJ ri. HON. SIR j. COMPTON
ilICKETT, NJ. T..


LONDON, October Give must not
forget that aircraft and submarine
VIII change the character OF all war
In the future. Nations viii muitiply
TIC number and improve the construc-
lion ana ,eficiency Of both these meth
DDS OF warfare. Neither OF them is SO
costly TO build as the old Drcadnoughts
and batteries OF large guns. while both
can be handled with greater rapidity
For the first time in conflicts be-
tween man and man. We have perpen-
dicular. in addition TO lateral move
erlng vessel. The fighting plane can
rise and fan with speed and precision,
al ~eIl as pursue r, level course IN any
beneath as we'll as navigate the sur
race. These are qualities which the
older forms OF land and sea warfare
The atmosphere offers Il field of at
tack and defense which cannot be
subord!nated to the purpose OF any one
mines at various depths below the sur
face OF the sea. You cannot render
the upper air immune from an attack.
more dangerous to their friends be-
meath than TO enemy aircraft; they
would be simply targets for the gun
dug: no fortress extemporized. in cloud
land. 1t Is just possible that artificial
mist might be created; but means Of
found to counterfeit this.
SUGGEST SURPRISE BY
bold INITIATIVE
Tho free sweep oc the skies. the sup
pie movement, the vast neets which
by n!ght-all these suggest surprise
by bold initiative.
Air locomotion Will be adapted to
have their use in time Of peace and
will provide an alternative mode of
ocean transit In the event OF future
war.
But has science said the last word ?
That is unlikely.
The. remarkable devclopmen; OF
electricity, nnriicuiarly in les wireless
which would silence the guns. abolish
distance. and strike home by day or
by night: The dynamic nigh, be OF.
stored energy transposcd into eiectrj.-
ny. or from some natural movement or
TSere ase p 'as
through either OF which just now we
pave only SUGGESTIONS. These. open w
It will obviously follow that If a dc.
structive force be found of the charac-
ter outlined. ii should be made avail
Is For destruction.
the distribution OF power, from
points nest suited for its creation, is
reconstruct!on. To erect tie electric
plant upon the coalfield or an estuary
aud then to transmit the power con-
siderable distances inland will certain
~ be attempted in u comparatively
short time.
Whether energy can be transmitted
in a still simpler form than THIS re-
mains to be seen. The increased pro-
ductiveness of natural processes by
active stimulation is another problem
In any case. we may assume that there
is no natural gift which cannot be
employed for the benefit of human nifty
although we may only ne acquainted
with its disintegrating function. To
the extent TO which these tremendous
powers are revealed to mankind,
through the inspired progress OF intel
lectual research, to that extent is it
necessary that the peoples employing
these powers should be trustees for
the human race. Others who seek to
defect them for despotic and selfish
motives must be restrained by the
common effort OF an enlightened hu-
scientific discovery, the greater the
danger of mIsapplying the results.