New-York tribune., 1919-01-11
Squier Replies to
Critics Before Engineers
Chief Signal Officer of the Army in Defending De-
partment Sets Forth in Detail Difficulties En-
countered and Overcome i'm Aircraft Produc.
ton

the calendar year They were the
Lepere, or Lusac11, equipped with
the Liberty engine; the United States
De Haviland ga, equipped with the
Liberty engine; the Martin bomber
equipped with two Liberty engines, and
the Looming twoseated fighter,
equipped with the 800 horsepower
Hlspano-Suiza engine"
The development by the navy of the
huge seaplane which carried fifty Off
clal passengers and an unofficial stowa-
way from Hampton Roads to Rockaway
was characterized by General Squier
as striking accomplishment" 1t
was the largest seaplane in the world,
he said, and "an American product
throughout
New Industry Developed
To obtain the delicate instruments
necessary to develop planes and men
to their highest efficiency a complete
new industry sprang up in this coun
try, he said, turning out a;rspeed in
dlcators, altimeters, compasses, safety
belts, oxygen apparatus, radio outfits
and other devices. Last June twenty
types of aeroplane instruments were
being produced here, he said.
"As it was impossible to produce the
quired for airplane wing and body COW
ering," said General Squier, "a suit
able cotton substitute was developed
and manufactured in this country in
quantities sufficient for the needs of
America and the Allies at cost
slightly more than half that of the
linen fabric formerly used. This &C
complishment, heretofore thought i'm
possible, ranks among the achieve
mcnts of first Importance"
Helium Produced Commercially
Zone of the greatest achievements
OF the war, from technical stand
point" said General Squier, "is the
production of helium in balloon guam
titles. This gas is non-inflammablc
and has about 80 per cent Of the buoy
ant effect of hydrogen. Its name is
due to it's having been discovered in
the suns atmosphere through a char
acteristic line in the solar spectrum
before its presence on the earth or
any of its properties were known. 1t
first was obtained in minute quantities
BY Ramsay, in England, some twenty
years ago by heating certain radio
active minerals in which it occurs be-
cause it is a disintegration product
of radium. Its pre-war scarcity may
be appreciated from the fact that up
to- two years ago not more than 100
cubic feet ever had been obtained. and
the usual selling price was about $l,700
cubic foot.
Thanks partly to the unusually rich
sources in this country and partly to
the skill of the two commercial COM
panies whose services were enlisted,
and to the enthusiasm of the Bureau
of Mines staff and Of Mr.. Carter, of
the navy, who for time represented
the army as we'll, such success was
achieved that at the cessation of hos
tflities there was compressed and on
the. dock ready for floating 147,O0O
cubic feet of nearly pure helium, and
plants were under construction to give
at least $4,000 cubic, feet a day, at an
estimated cost of not more than 10
cents a cubic foot.
"The production of a balloon gas
that assures safety from fire opens up
new era for the dirigible balloon.
Praise for Liberty Motors
In providing means for communica-
tion among members of squadron and
with the ground, General Squier said
the United States took the lead, per-
fectlng and increasing the output Of
vacuum tubes to point where the
aerial radio equipment Of this country
surpassed that of any of the Allies.
The, voice commanded" squadron, a
new type of military unit, was the re-
suit.
He related the story of the Liberty
motor, declaring that it Stands to-day
as an achievement which, for daring
constructive imagination and far
sightedness, will ever be cause of
pride to the American people.
ut is believed" he said, chat the
major decisions which had to be made
by those IN authority were accurately
made and promptly executed and that
as consequence, the record of the
United States Air Service during the
war shows creditable performance
"If America will but press on into
the future, building upon the SOUND
foundations now erected, she may lead
the world in the development and
utilization of aerial navigation for the
triumphs of peace"