Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1911 — AEROPLANES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AEROPLANES

Deadly Foe of the Submarine

Invaluable Aid to Battleship

By MARK L. BRISTOL,

Lieutenant Commander. U. S. N.

By JOHN RODGERS. Lieutenant, U. S. N.

CHE aeroplane is the natural enemy of the submarine. While a bomb dropped from an air craft can cause only slight damage to a battleship, it can easily damage a SUBMARINE, totally destroying it or at least putting it hors de combat. As regards the method of escape for the crew of a submarine in case of disaster, I do not think we ought to bother our heads too much about that. Just as we have abolished lifeboats on board men-of-war and have given our attention entirely to every possible expedient to keep the vessel afloat, so we should devote our efforts to the question of perfecting the STABILITY of the submarines themselves. In wartime if a vessel is so damaged that she has to go to the bottom the crew sinks with her, and I know our American sailers are willing to take the risk. So why should submarines be treated differently? Moreover, it may be an easy matter to supply these vessels with life saving devices. France is AHEAD OF ALL OTHER COUNTRIES in the matter of submarines. <

CHE naval possibilities of the aeroplane are, in my opinion, great. In past naval wars on a great many occasions the aeroplane would have been of the GREATEST POSSIBLE SERVICE to the commanders of contending fleets. Suppose, for instance,' that Admiral Schley had had an aeroplane with a competent operator at his command when he was trying to locate Spanish warships in Cuban waters during the war with Spain. Commander Blue finally located Cervera’s ships in Santiago harbor, but it took a hazardous journey of several days through the jungle for him to do it. Had there been an AEROPLANE available at that time what Commander Blue did could have been accomplished in a few minutes. As yet I do not take much stock in the BOMB proposition, so far as aeroplanes are concerned, but I DO BELIEVE they will be of great value for scouting purposes generally in the event there is another war in which any of the great powers may be

MARK L. BRISTOL