WHY WAR'S OUT OF DATE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 64, 10 April 1909, Page 3

WHY WAR'S OUT OF DATE.

It is only a few years ago since those who were devoting their strenuous attention to solving, once and for all, the conquest of the air, were regarded somewhat in the light of "harmless lunatics." But within the past eighteen months such important discoveries have been made in the art Of Hying that there is now no manner of doubt at all that before.very long aerial flight over both long and short distances will be ot the most common occurrence.

There are scientists, however, who consider that the aeroplane will never be of much practical use, except for sporting and adventurous purposes, but such is not my opinion—indeed, I hold totally opposite vie\v6.

NEW .MACHINES WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS.

The cleverest draughtsmen and scien- 1 tists in the world are now devoting their attention to the invention of a machine j that will be able to <lo eighty miles an hour—at this high speed the . .machine j. could lie reduced ill size, and as such ' machines are now possible, and as there ' are men in existence who can make ; them, I am strongly of the opinion that within the next twelve months we shall have them. In fact, you will see that I am correct ill predicting that this year we shall have a machine larger than that of tho i Wrights. j The nvw aeroplane, hi fact, will travel faster than that of the Wright machine, it will have a perfectly-made motor of from 80 to 1(1(1 horse-power, it will be able to carry half a ton, it will be able to remain up for three hours at the ' time, and' will travel at the rate 01 quite fifty miles an hour, while ill power it j will cost 110 more than two-thirds as : 'much as a motor-car. :

"What will be the ell'ect of this discovery?"

Well, in the first place, the effect 011 the nations will be that war will be made so terrible, so deadly, so ghastly in its results, that we shall have no more war, for with flying machines, 110 matter how great and powerful your nation may be, it will always be open to attack.

Thus, under cover of darkness and clouds, an enemy will be aide to destroy a eitv, no matter how carefully it may lie protected, for attack from the air will never be able to be resisted.

True, the -fact that while the enemy is destroying your, cities, at the same time, iuavbe, yon are destroying his, is an linargueahlv one, but it does not make any country s position in any way pleasanler or more secure.-

"What about -projectiles?" Well, to all intents and purposes they do not enter very largely into (he matter, as, although projectiles may lie lired by the hundred thousand, they are far more likely to do damage to'themselves than to the enemy, ami' thus, in ten years' time, I have the greatest confidence in predicting that the three great European Cowers will be able to say, beyond all manner of doubt, "There" shall be 110 more war."

AEROrnXKS WlLlj CARRY MAILS. The living machine, it must be uiuk'r■s'tood, however, will never be able to carry passengers and freight in large quantities, for it is essentially a military instrument, though, to be sure, it wiil very shortly be largely used for sport and discovery, while, when the weather is bad, betore long you will see that Cross ('liaiiiiel mails will be carried by aeroplane; an. instrument which, by the bv, will be of extraordinary value as a i"seller ol the shipwrecked mariner. We must now prepare ourselves to recognise that what electricity was to the. last century aerial navigation will be to this.

Ami on that account I repeat again that in ten yeans' time there will be no war.

It IS not long to look fonvard to. and When war is ended once and for all, perhaps those who now read these lines will recall my confident prophecy—By Sir lliinni Maxim, the famous inventor, in Pearson's Weekly.