AEROPLANES IN WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 91, 7 August 1914, Page 4

AEROPLANES IN WAR.

Major ,W. S. Brancher, R.A., at the London University, delivered an interesting address on “The Aeroplane in War.” He contrasted the conditions of warfare a century ago, poi icing to the almost insuperable difficulties that generals then had in ascertaining the disposition of troops r'nd the exact position of the enemy. Even as recently as during the Russo-Japan-ese war the Japanese were depencent upon secret service for their information. Such conditions were altogether changed by the introduction of she aeroplane, which, properly worked, could obtain in the space of an hour or two such information as '‘opli never have been obtained finder the old conditions. In every respect, Britain as a natioin was gaining ground, and soon would have aeroplanes commonly flying at over one Hundred miles an hour in spite of rain and adverse winds. Aeroplanes were not going to replace ca miry, which could discover things in the dark, but they would prevent cavalry being sent on wildgoose chases. In the future aeroplanes would be armed with light guns, machine-guns, and bombs, and the difficulty of weight in the carriage of these woundpmdn.xbtsdly he got over. As to actual 'carfare in the air, an airship, flying highly, would be an ugly comn 'tifor ”0 meet, and three or four aeroplanes would probably he required to attack it. This would probably give rise to an interesting problem. in was impossible to foretell what would happen in the immediate fut.i-e, hut the 1 possibilities were great. The attacking of ships would re one of tin- most hnportant duties assigned iL the acioplano, and the whole geographical mi - portance of nations wen id he chang'd by its improved an,’ skilful ieuvring. What was most reqmr’d was thorough org ;u: c itior ai d

equipment,' and he was happy to ray hat in his opinion Britain would scon >c able to rival all other nations in hese essential respects.