The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-19
How Disposed Of.


"About the disposition Of the remain
der l appointed boards Of survey, each
composed Of officers Of ability, who
were conscientious n careful. Their
orders were to inspect every plane
in u possession and to recommend to
me what should be done with each
one"
Col, Patricks' statement then shows
that the plane and material fell into
four classes: Those which had been
crashed, most of them in training
service or in battle, and were beyond
repair; those used ut the training
schools and which were worn out from
wear and tear; others which had der
Perforated in storage, planes being very
delicate and deteriorating very rapid
ly, and others which were useahle, but
practically obsolete and which would
have been discarded very soon even II
the wal had gone on, for more modern
machines.
"After having examined each of these
planes, Gen. Patrick's statement con-
tinues, "the boards of survey arranged
them in classes and recommended, in
general, that they be offered for sale,
and IL unsaleable, hat they be sal
vaged. BY salvage is meant the
taking off of all the valuable parts,
such as motors, tires, instruments and
the like, which can be used to repair
other planes, or which have a money
value.
II approved the recommendations OF
these boards. / inquired of the French
government and was told that they
would not purchase any of this mate
rial, There was no market for this ma
tefial. 1t was, therefore, salvaged as
outlined above. Some OF the wooden
fragments were sold and the remainder,
which could not be used by us nor sold,
was destroyed. .t
AL Planes Saved.
II dc. not know OF my " knowledge
that a single useable plane was de-
stroyed, but / am well satisfied that
no plane was destroyed Which could ~
disposed of In France. for which would
have brought as much money. in the
United States as II would cost TO GET
4 me ematterSof shipping n of this
material HOathe United States was fut-
Iy considered. 1 had estimates made
of the cost OF storage, of packing ana
OF transportation and am quite con-
WINGED, inS the cases of all the planes
which were satyaged, that this would
have been decidedly uneconomical,
''The ~saivaglng of this material was
part of the Inevitable waste of war
hut the American air service IN france
did everything possible to reduce this
waste to the minimum. 1t Is apparent
that it was necessary to decide wheth-
er II would pay to ship material TO
the United States, and after caretul
study and in the exercise of the best
Judgment, it was decided that this
would be a further waste Of govern
ment money. Attention may be called
To the fact tina the packing of q single
DH-4 plane in. the United States for
shipment to France cost In round mum
bers about $3.50. Estimates made, IN
France showed that IT would cost there
not less than about $500 to pack up a
plane without the engine, that prior to
backing II there's would be a consider
.ahIe eSpense while the planes were in
storage, III order to keep them in con.
dition, that there would BE the cost OF
rial transportation and the cost Of ocean
TRANSFORMATION to the United States,
with further freight charges n
charges for handling after the packages
arrived here. Some Of the cases which
contained the planes which were actual
" shipped to the United States eoo occupy
a space of not less than l,OoO CUBIC
feet, The size of this task and It's
costliness can be judged from these
facts