calculated to facilitate an attack. They started at 5 A.M., and ascending to the altitude of about 4000 feet, each took a different route. A little more than an hour later they were, however, all three flying over Toul, where they discovered the garrison was preparing to repel an attack. Being still at an altitude rendering him invulnerable, Captain Lebeau took a large number of photographs which, even without the other information obtained, constituted the most complete document desirable for an attacking force. The little aerial squadron was back at its headquarters in less than three hours after its departure. The distance separating Verdun from Toul is about 56 miles, which had in the out and home that the pilot of a single-seated gather all other information machine must have his mind and hands too completely occupied with the steering of the machine to have sufficient leisure to observe accurately, or the material possibility to note on on map or paper, the exact position of troops, their strength, &c. On the other hand, the military observer on a double-seated aeroplane could take notes, mark on the map the precise spot occupied by the infantry, cavalry, artillery, &c., estimate their numerical strength, the quantity of supplies, &c. Some of those military observers were provided with cameras, with which they obtained photographic documents pronounced to be of inestimable value. Nothing escaped the observation of the officers or the searching capacities of the photographic film. On more than one occasion attempts were made to conceal small detachments of troops in deep ravines, woods, and villages, but they were invariably discovered by the the military observers. A striking example of the valuable services the aeroplane can render an army was furnished on 28th August, when three aerial craft-one monoplane piloted by Captain Bellenger, and two biplanes, piloted respectively by Lieutenants Menard and Blard-this latter having Captain Lebeau beside him as military observer-were sent from Verdun to Toul, which was supposed to be a hostile city. Their mission was to ascertain the exact condition of its defensive works and to voyage can Three days later, on 31st August, a different but equally important demonstration of the utility of aeroplanes in war was made at Froideterre, near Verdun. It so completely solved the question of the assistance aerial craft render artillery, that General Bailloud, Commander of the 1st Army Corps, told the artillery officers to "remember the 31st August 1911, because it is the date marking the greatest step forwards made for a very long time in the method of firing.' Batteries of artillery had been established at Froideterre to check the advance of the enemy supposed to be marching on Verdun, but the hostile force was in- redoubtable than three batvisible to the gunners, whose teries without an aeroplane." view was intercepted by inter- At the same time these exvening obstacles and undula- periments showed that for tions of the land. Four aero- this service, in which the greatest precision is necessary, a double-seated aeroplane is indispensable. Captain Bellenger, who is undeniably one of the most distinguished French military aviators, being alone on his monoplane, failed to bring back the absolutely precise information required by the artillerymen. After this demonstration General Bailloud, at a military déjeuner attended by 22 generals, 40 colonels, and strong deputations of other officers from all the departments of the French Army, expressed "complete confidence in the new destinies of . . . troops, having bold and devoted aviators at their disposal." planes one single seated monoplane piloted by Captain Bellenger, and three doubleseated biplanes, piloted respectively by Captain Casse and Lieutenants Blard and Menard, each having a military observer beside him-were ordered to reconnoitre the position of the advancing army and to bring back information of the effect of the Froideterre batteries' fire. Rising Rising to the altitude of over 4000 feet to ensure their own safety, the aeroplanes flew over the enemy and then, returning to Froideterre, dropped written indications of the exact spots where the shells had fallen, and thus enabled the artillerymen to rectify their fire. The experiment, made with real ammunition, but of course without real advancing troops, was repeated several times, and the indications of the military observers on the biplanes tallied so completely that the military umpires declared the attacking force, though invisible, would have been annihilated by the artillery. Colonel Bernard, the well-known artillery specialist, who was present on the occasion, was so much struck by the marvellous correctness of the information collected by the aviators, and the rapidity with which it was brought to the gunners, that he affirmed "two batteries and one aeroplane are five times more It would be difficult for any one to ascertain from the Budget what amount of money the French Government proposes to spend on military aviation during the coming year; but it is interesting to note that M. Clementel, in his report to the Chamber on the War Budget, says it will be at least double the sum set aside for that purpose in 1911. As a matter of fact, the Budget contains an item of 7,600,000 francs (£304,000) for aviation; but apart from the probability of Parliament being applied to for supplementary grants for that service, it would be a mistake to imagine that this sum includes all the money which will be employed in 1912 for the organisation of the French Fourth Arm, the purchase of aeroplanes, the repair of the machines, the gasolene and oil used by them, &c. The organisation of military aviation schools and depôts for each of the twenty army corps, the additional pay granted to the military aviators, and various other more or less important items, are not included in it. Nothing could demonstrate more strikingly the improvements introduced into aeroplanes during the past twelve months than the results of the French Military Aeroplane Competition. When it was instituted at the end of 1910 there was not a single aerial craft existing in any part of the world capable of executing any one of the tests imposed by the programme. Yet of the 31 different types of aeroplanes admitted to participate in the contest, 9 accomplished the five very difficult tests, and of those 9 successful machines 8 completed the final 186 miles nonstop cross-country flight! The military authorities had last year seen the speed of aeroplanes considerably developed by private enterprise, in view of the numerous competitions endowed with rich prizes, so, while also encouraging speed by the final race, they decided to make weight carrying a sine qua non quality. Consequently it was stipulated that all the competing machines should, in addition to their own weight and that of the motor with the necessary supply of gasolene and oil for the non-stop flight of 186 miles, carry, while performing all the tests, an additional load of 660 lb. It was just that stipulation which would have made it utterly impossible for any aeroplane constructed in 1910 to attempt to accomplish any one of the feats imposed by the programme. Those feats comprised three landing tests: one landing to be made on a field of stubble, another on growing lucerne, and the third on ploughed land, with the condition that the machine should not be disabled in the attempt, but that, on the contrary, it should ascend from the several landing-places without the assistance of any one except the persons manning it; a speed race, proving the aeroplane could travel 37 miles an hour at least; an altitude test, showing the machine was capable of reaching the height of 1640 feet in fifteen minutes, and the final speed race of 186 miles. During the first days of the month allowed for the accomplishment of the preliminary tests the biplanes seemed destined to carry the day, because the swifter monoplanes had great difficulty in landing on rough ground. However, one of them, a Nieuport, piloted by Weymann, soon accomplished all the preliminary tests, and on the very last day, the 31st October, two Deperdussin monoplanes got through the ordeal successfully. Consequently, as the final test decisive for the distribution of the awards consisted in the non-stop flight from Betheny to Amiens and back to Betheny, a distance of 186 miles, there was no longer any probability of a biplane capturing the first place, though six of them (3 Farman, 2 Bréguet, and 1 Savary biplanes) were qualified to compete against the three monoplanes (1 Nieuport and 2 Deperdussin monoplanes). Indeed there would have been reason to anticipate that all the three awards would go to the notoriously swifter monoplanes, had it not been for the question of the more or less reliability of their respective motors. The 100-h.p. Gnome motor employed on the Nieuport monoplane and on one of the Deperdussin monoplanes was known to be reliable, but the 80-h.p. Anzani motor with which the second Deperdussin monoplane was provided enjoyed a less well-established reputation. The 3 Farman biplanes were propelled by thoroughly reliable engines, of which two were 70-h.p. Renault motors and one a 70-h.p. Gnome motor. The 2 Bréguet biplanes were driven respectively by 100-h.p. and 140-h.p. Gnome motors, while the Savary biplane was furnished with a 70-h.p. Labor motor. The competitors were all allowed three trials. On the day the first start was given by the Military Commission the weather was so unpropitious that of the nine aviators qualified to participate in the contest only Weymann attempted the flight, and he was constrained to descend after travelling about 47 miles. On the second occasion all started with the exception of Brégi, piloting the Bréguet biplane driven by the 140-h.p. Gnome motor, and Vedrines, piloting the Deperdussin monoplane propelled by the 80-h.p. Anzani motor. Of the seven competitors who left Betheny, six returned after accomplishing the aerial voyage of 186 miles without stopping. The time occupied by them was Weymann (Nieuport monoplane, 100-h.p. Gnome motor) Prévost (Deperdussin monoplane, 100-h.p. Gnome motor). Fischer (Henry Farman biplane, 70-h.p. Gnome motor) Barra (Maurice Farman biplane, 70-h.p. Renault motor) Renaux (Maurice Farman biplane, 70-h.p. Renault motor). Frantz (Savary biplane, 70-h.p. Labor motor) That result result was, was, however, materially modified by the third and final trial, which took place on Sunday, 26th November. Weymann kept his first place; but Moineau, on the Bréguet biplane, driven by a 100-h.p. Gnome motor, accomplishing the 186-mile flight in 3 h. 0 m. 16 s., took the second place. Prévost was therefore classed third. Brégi, piloting the Bréguet biplane, propelled 2 h. 33 m. 539 s. 3 h. 21 m. 5 s. 3 h. 33 m. 58. 3 h. 56 m. 13 s. 4 h. 8 m. 40 s. 4 h. 27 m. 40 s. non-stop flight of 186 miles machines, nor any of the less was the Deperdussin monoplane, fortunate aeroplanes which propelled by an 80-h.p. Anzani figured in that competition, is motor, and piloted by Vedrines. so perfect that its inventor The Military Competition could not suggest certain very naturally brought to the modifications before building fore the question of adopting others of the same type for a standard type of aeroplane military service. However, for the army. Were it possible, though it is not possible to the uniformity might offer ap- unify military aeroplanes, the preciable advantages, as the French War Ministry intends repair of machines could be to try to obviate one of the effected with greater ease and great inconveniences attending celerity. Spare parts could the possession of several types always be in stock, and the of aerial craft, by obliging the mechanics would not be at a constructors to fit their maloss to know how to use them, chines with the same steering as they frequently are with the gear. At the present moment existence of numerous types of an aviator who has served his machines. Monoplanes differ apprenticeship, say on a Somalmost as essentially one from mer biplane, is incapable of another as they do from bi- piloting say a Blériot monoplanes, of which the types are plane, because the method of very dissimilar. M. Clementel, steering it is absolutely differthe Budget Committee's re- ent. It is hoped the adoption porter of the War Budget, of a uniform steering gear will dealt with the subject in a enable enable military aviators to concise and categorical fashion. mount all descriptions of aeroHe declared that in the present planes without additional incondition of the aeroplane in- struction in the piloting of dustry the project of adopting each, which is necessary with a uniform type of military the existence of almost aeroplane was "unrealisable." many different steering apIn spite of all the progress paratuses as types of machines. made no single machine fulfils There may be technical diffithe desiderata of the War De- culties to be surmounted before partment, and experience seems that project can be realised, to show that both monoplanes and it is evident that even if and biplanes have their places the various types of monomarked in the army. Being planes and biplanes are all conscious of that fact, the provided with the same apFrench Government has claimed paratus for shaping the course the right to demand modifica- of the aerial craft, and securtions in the machines which ing its horizontal and lateral by the stipulations of the Mili- stability by working the stabtary Aeroplane Competition it ilisator and the mechanism for undertook to order of the suc- warping the wings, or for cessful constructors. It is cer- bringing the ailerons into play, tain that none of the winning an aviator accustomed to pilot as |