AERIAL SCOUTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14586, 24 January 1911, Page 5

AERIAL SCOUTS.

WIRELESS COMMUNICATION.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—

New York, January 22. Lieutenant Beck, of the United States Signal Service, sent wireless messages from his aeroplane while scouting over a supposed , enemy's country at San Francisco.

Lieutenant Beck was accompanied by a skilled - aviator, and the messages were received without error. The experiment was accepted as proof of . the effectiveness ;of the aeroplane for scouting.

Mr. Hilaire ' B'elloc, the well-known writer, who a few years ago wont through a . period of training in the French army, attended the French manoeuvres in Picardy last September, as special correspondent of the Daily Express. Aeroplanes were the feature of the manoeuvres, and Mr. Belloc contributed an interesting article on their use in war. Every expert, he says, is of opinion that the vulnerability of aeroplanes is not sufficient to destroy their, efficiency. They are practically immune from rifle fire, owing to the difficulty of finding the A light gun mounted on a motor-air followed the aeroplanes for two days . during the manoeuvres, but failed to hit thom. Mr. Belloc said that reconnaissances by aeroplane must be countered by other aeroplanes,' and the fore© possessing superiority ■would destroy, the secrecy of" disposition of the enemy's forces, and have the enemy in its hand; ■ V