AEROPLANES IN WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 40, 9 August 1911, Page 4

AEROPLANES IN WAR.

Aeroplanes may make war on land and sea impossible. It is to be hoped they may. Vedrines, the now famous aerial navigator, mentions (so tells the cable) that in ease of war with Germany, aeroplanes would destroy the river bridges by which it would be necessary for Ger- ' many to pass troops from her territory to that of her enemy in case of invasion. Tt has, however, not yet been proved that an aeroplane could with safety to itself drop explosives from a height of sufficient power to destroy a great iron bridge. Bridge destruction is an art, and in few cases have preparations for their destruction been carried out with extraordinary haste. More great bridges were destroyed in the South African campaign than in any campaign before or since, and the destruction was not effected by any haphazard and hasty means. It has been shown by several aviators that "bombs" can be dropped on men-of-war from an aeroplane, but it has not yet been demonstrated by the dropping of real explosives what destructive effect tliev would have on a huge mass of metal specially devised to resist concussion. Wo have read that an aviator has dropped paper bombs with I

tho greatest ease on travelling ships. I The fact that they were paper is proof J positive that the aeroplanes were not out of range of guns that could fire at a high angle. A gunner on a warship would be much more likely to strike an aeroplane within range than an airship would be likely to strike the warship or drop a bomb on it. It cannot be believed at present that the airship has any use for warfare except in a scouting service. Perhaps as a mobile method of taking specialists to a given point, say, for the deliberate destruction of a bridge or other line of communication, they might outstrip all other means, but as offensive weapons in themselves it is not likely that they have "arrived." Thero is a probability, however, that aeroplanes will yet be used to drop deadly explosives in camps of men, which, it is obvious, they might do without danger to themselves. The deadlier the aeroplane can be made, the better for humanity. If it could be proved that an aeroplane could wipe out an enemy's camp by calmly dropping explosives on it from an unapproachable height, the ' price would be too great to pay. War would become so terrible that it would be execrated by the German field-mar-shal with the fiercest moustache that per grew.

LICENSING STALLIONS. Mr. Reakes, Chief Government Veterinarian, told the Clydesdale Horse Society at Dunedin the other night that he was drafting a Bill for the prevention of hereditary unsoundness in draught stallions, also providing for licensing stallions and a yearly inspection, coming in gradually. This is good news. For many years the leading men connected with the soil have been urging the Government to take steps to improve the standard of our horse-flesh by eliminating unsound sires. Why the powers that be had been so slow to move in the matter is hard to understand, because there can be no two. opinions about the desirability, nay the necessity, for weeding out the wasters and improving the standard of our horses. In other colonies, the examination and registration system obtains, and vrith results that are most successful. Anyone acquainted witli horse-breeding in tjiis country knows quite well that there is a big proportion of horses at the stud that are quite unsound. Stringhalt, roaring, ringbone, bad feet, spavin, shivering and navicular diseases are rife amongst them, and the proportion of animals so affected in Taranaki is, from our personal knowledge, as great as anywhere else in the Dominion. Under present conditions, farmers have no guarantee whatever that the offspring of their breeding animals will not be affect-, cd by one of other of these hereditary diseases. Anyone possessing a likelysort of a colt, no matter how unsound he may be, can "stand the season" with him. The owner of a good, sound animal is placed on exactly the same footing in the competition for business as tho owner of a "scrubber." In fact, the latter generally scores over the other, because he is prepared to accept lower fees or offer better terms of payment. Thus no encouragement is given to breeders to improve the standard byimporting the best types of animals from Britain and other countries. Imported horses of any worth cost a lot of money, and if a breeder cannot get remunerative fees the investment is unprofitable. There is another aspect. For some time past the very best horses in New Zealand have been sent in large numbers across to the Australian markets. Thirty left by the Manuka only last week. The animals have to bear the stamp of the Veterinarian Department as to soundness, whilst in the colony to which they are sent they are again examined before being put up for auction. If they fail to survive the second examination they are "passed out," and an uncertificated horse either in New South Wales or Victoria is at a great discount. The chance of unsound horses reaching Australia from this Dominion is, therefore, very small. Unsound ones, however, remain here and are allowed, or have been up to now, to propagate their kind without restriction. With the diseased animals weeded out—and they should be, without fear or favor, immediately—owners of sound horses will have a chance of recouping themselves for their outlay, and farmers will get a squarer deal, and the standard of horseflesh throughout the Dominion must vastly improve.