The Washington herald., 1921-12-06
new HELIUM-FILLED
AMAZES
FOREIGN DELEGATES
Realize U. S. Has Advan-
tage With Non-Explo-
sive Gas i'm War.

A significant. perhaps prophetic,
glimpse of the unplumbed posstbili
ties Of the warfare Of the futur'
was given by chace yesterday 70.
the arms conference subcommittee
on aircraft at the close of us SEES
sion on the question of Limitation
Of aerial engines of war.
The members of the committee
representing the five great power7
were emerging from the Navy Build
ing when they observed the new
navy dirigible. the CT, flying low
in the offing. Rear Admiral Moi
felt. chief of the Bureau Of Aero
nautics of the American navy and
chairman OF the conference sub
committee, explained that the CT
was inflated with helium. the new
non-inflammable. non-expiosive gas,
which promises to revoluuonize the
use OF aircraft in war.
Interesting, says Triton.
VERY interesting" observed Air
Vice Admiral Higgins. the repre-
sentative OF the British Empire.
America, ! understand. is the sole
possessor of a supply of heliun..'
TT has been found only in tie
United States. up to date, be
Iieve." Admiral Moffett responded.
Then the British. French, Italian
and Japanese aviation experts con-
graduated Admiral Moffett on thu
successful test of the new gas rep
resented by the flight of the c.
from Hampton Roads and its ma
neuvering in the vicinity OF Wash
ington.
The subcommittee had met and
adjourned after a preliminary dis
cussion in which none of the nations
represented disclosed its attitude
on the question of Limitation on
war aircraft. when it was known
that Admiral Moffett is preparing
to stand 10y the Hughes dictum that
such limitation is impracticable.
because Of the ease Of converting
commercial aircraft to war pur-
poses. the other members were not
ready to discuss the question.
Next War In Air.
The next war will he largely in
the air. say the authorities. as
they contemplate the progress Of
the negotiations to reduce and limit
surface and submersihl- naval craft
Japan is seeking an allowance Of
airplane carriers apprONimating
that accorded either Great Britain
or the United States by the Hughes
plan. an indication that Japan is
/ looking far into the future. Like
wise American naval strate yists.
! impressed by the difficulty Of de-
| tending the Philippines with only
! is capital ships and Inadequate
! bases on the other side Of the Pa
/ eifC. are planning I" concentrate on
/ and submarines for this purpose.
With a monopoly Of helium the
/ United States would have 4 tremen-
/ dous advantage over. an enemy in
aerial warfare. 4 feet Of helum-
/ inflated dirigihles. the nn'nIon of
/ Admiral Moffet. could destroy an
! enemy fleet Of surfac. craft with
giant bombs. while the protective
-Uy airplanes
Destruction DiRcult.
Destruction Of helium diriCible,
property protected. would be eX-
! exceedingly diflcult. f6r it would
! he explosion proof and freproof
against the shots from anti-aircraft
guns
Helium was identified as lew
? element throuch tn" observation IN
1858 OF a bright yellow line in the
. chromospere Of the sun. II e eN-
tracted from natural gas. and m
:he vicinity Of Fort Worth. Tex
/ where the navy maintains produr-
/ tion plant. il is escaping into Ito
atmosnEcre in 4 volume estimated
a Sufficient TO initiate foGr large
/ dirigibleS each week.
! The known gupIsy in the Tri'sd
States would he exhausted. urloss
/ conserved in twenty years but II
, III" large gas wells ,arfa ming
I hel!um. were capped. - serve
/ would he created which Mould last
/ 100 years o. more
The administration has u--sl
! Congress to appropriate rpr Tho
! purchase and conservation OF h,l.uu