Evening star., 1921-07-24
0stfriesIand Sinking Stirs
Service Experts to New Cry
for Plane Development.
NAVY WANTS 8 CARRIERS
AT $780, 900, 900 EACH
Officers Think Overseas Warfare
Will Be Futile When Coast De-
tense by Aircraft Is Perfected.

The sinking OF Germany's ''un-
sinkable" battleship Ostfriesland last
Thursday by the Army air services
heavy Martinique bombing plahes
in the short space of twenty-five and
a half minutes after opening fire
with one-ton bombs demonstrated
certain hard, cold facts never even
theoretically realized before by the
majority of Army and Navy officers.
The result has been. according to
many in military circles. to stir up
more popular interest in our future
aircraft policy throughout the coun-
try. and to arouse more scientific and
technical enthusiasm among govern
ment experts in all branches than
has been shown at any time since
1913
All officials agree that the last
thirty days devoted to gunnery and
bombing tests have been epoch
making" Brig. Gen. Mitchell. who
was first criticised for making "bom-
bastic" statements. has at least dem
onstrated that heavy bombs can sink
the best of battleships II allowed to
get within striking distance.
Hope for More Money.
The Navy Department. also will
have benefited greatly II the Con-
gress, which cut Its aviation appro-
priation from s35.0O0.0oo to $13.-
600, 900, will enable it to go ahead
with experimental work and develop
aerial defense adequate to Keep such
attacks at distance.
The possibilities Of aerial fghting
have now been demonstrated Tar
beyond any point generally expected
by the allies in Europe. The aircrafs
rather futile 1o0-pound bombs used
by the allies in Europe. Aircraft
now is the battleship's greatest en-
.my. in the opinion Of many experts,
and great changes In every program
are. perforce. in preparation today.
A. star representative Interviewed
many bureau chiefs yesterday on the
result of the tests. and Is able to
present the following list Of military
nrotects that will be given the right
of way Immediately as result of the
tests:
sea<oinx Base for Fleet.
A. An immediate demand by the
Navy Department for eight airplane
carriers, worth about $3o.0o0.0oo each.
80 that each battleship division Of
our fleet may have a seagotng base
for it's pursuit and bombing planes.
B. The adaptation by the chemical
warfare service Of poisonous gases
and the smoke screen effect to light
weight bombs which can be dropped
by speedy pursuit planes upon the
enemy and thus prepare the way for
the slower-going bomb planes with
their destructive freight.
G. The urgent speeding-up of ex-
perimental production by the sair-
craft industry Of still heavier planes
which would carry at least two OF
the one-ton bombs at trip, with
possible reaching out as far as a
mammoth plane that could carry
ten-ton bomb. able to destroy the
modern battleship. such as the Penn
sylyania, at one blow. The Navy al
ready has in use the NC type of
bombing plane, which can carry twice
as heavy a load as the Martin bomb
ers which destroyed the Ostfriesland; +;
and they will build another type.
the giant" which will be twice as
powerful as the NC and four times
as powerful as the Martin bomber.
On July 18 the Army air service is
sued a ,call for new designs of ex-
tremely powerful and speedy bomb
ing types which will stimulate the
best work the country can produce.
Protective Decks Proposed.
D. Rush production Of a battleship
type with heavily armored protective
deck, and possibly an armored belt
extending from main deck line to keel.
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