Evening star., 1921-03-27


tailed. 1t will thus be seen that. in
order to have the well balanced
fleet" which seems to be an accepted
term with relation to our Navy, it is
vitality important that we have suf-
ficient aircraft Of the proper types,
otherwise we will fall short Of such
a well balanced fleet"
This Is 80 vitality important that
every effort is being made in the
Navy to experiment with aircraft to
md the types best suited to carry out
the dutiea assigned to them. It seems
highly desirable that Congress should
appropriate Tor naval aviation sufn-
cient sums to carry on this expert
mentAtion. which includes aircraft
carriers and adrcraft mother ships, as
well as the aidcraft themselves, to
determine as quickly as possible those
hand.
1t would also appear that this can
best be done by q well defined yearly
appropriation for a period Of years,
in order that the naval officers in
charge Of aviation may not be obliged
to work on a a"feast-and-famine" basis
IN laying out the work each year COW
ering tho experimentation required.
It is practically impossible to formu-
late comprehensive program when
funds are not regularly available.
inasmuch AZ 1t sometimes takes from
two to three years to develop motors
and aircraft Of particular design.
WIN Iap the Delt. LaaAa.
Because Of the peculiar character of
tho territory known as the delta Of
tho Mississippi river. problems arose
in connection with it's photoRraphfc
mapping by the War Department
which brought into co-operatton the
ssest.rz sse Sf seaPle9s@ oP Ws conseapeatly tho
Department to take strips Of map
ping photographs on each bank Of
tho south and southwest passes Of the
Mississippi to cover the marshy areas
on each bank to the limit Of their ex-
tent UP to the two miles from the
river. This work is necessary in con-
nection with the engineering projects
Of tho Army district engineer. and is
OF tremendous importance in the river
and harbor Improvement schemes at
mapping could not be performed by
the Army air service. principally due
to tho lack of landing fields in the vi
cinity. The Army has no aviation IA
cilities in the dolta; however, tho
Army IL to supply the gasoline and
sistenoe for the crews. work on this
project will start immediately. Sea-
planes from the United States naval
air station at Pensacola will conduct
the mapping work. and. after finish
Ing the Photographic flights request
pictures for the coast and Eeodetic
survey. In order to complete the mans
which that bureau has under way on
the gulf coast
It is estimated that by mapping
these inaccessible areas from tho Air
many thousands Of dollars will be
saved over the old method Of trian-
gular and surface mapping and sur
voy. This work also shows the co-
operation existing between tho Army
ana naval aviation, and also tho close
between naval aviation
and the coast and geodetic Survey.
this delta mapping being onIy one
OF many projects Of the same hind
which the Navy has undertaken for
both departm ents
Surplus Navy Stocks,
Ihe navy was very fortunate in
disposing of the bulk of its surplu.
war stock during the year and hair
following the armistice
when prices were high, and comnara'
lively small stocks in excess of tn.
Nays needs are on hand. The
amounts realized were gratifying and
IN some instances actual profits were
maze. the receipts therefor being
.u .uneo INTO tho Treasury. The prob
80 Wc4OSlnB OF tho slow
moving stocks and at prices which
have been reduced conaSderabIXl
About <13. 200, 600 Of tho declared sur
plus stocks are stin on sale and II
Ia ,e1pected that about ffteen nr |
twenty millions moro viii be de-
ciared a. surplus stores. The stocks
still In surplus consist Of q great |
variety Of material. especially obso-
lete vessels. clothing. textiles. struc-
tural steel, etc. All lumber and sur
plus provisions have been sold.