One of the results of the experiments at San Diego, was to show that such a hydroaeroplane, or a development of it, was thoroughly suitable for naval use. Although it was the first of May before Mr. Curtiss returned to his factory at Hammondsport, specifications, which were approximately as follows, were sent him and he was asked if he could make delivery by the first of July:– "A hydroaeroplane, capable of rising from or landing on either the land or the water, capable of attaining a speed of at least fifty-five miles an hour, with a fuel supply for four hours' flight. To carry two people and be so fitted that either person could control the machine." His reply was in the affirmative and the machine was delivered on time. Since that time this machine has been launched from a cable, which can easily be used aboard ship, and has been flown on an overwater nonstop flight, one hundred and forty-five miles in one hundred and forty-seven minutes. If such an advance has been made in a little over six months' time, what will the next year bring forth? In my opinion the aeroplane will be used by the Navy solely for scouting purposes, and not as an offensive weapon as seems to be the popular impression. This impression is probably enhanced by the recent newspaper reports of the damage inflicted upon the Turks in Tripoli, by bombs dropped from Italian aeroplanes. Even could an explosive weighing as much as one thousand pounds be carried and suddenly dropped without upsetting the stability of the aeroplane, and were it possible to drop this on a ship from a height of three thousand feet, which is the lowest altitude that would ensure safety from the ship's gun fire, but little damage would be done. The modern battleship is subdivided into many separate water-tight compartments, and the worst that would be done would be to pierce one of these, and destroy those in that one compartment, without seriously crippling the gunfire or manoeuvring qualities of the ship. In only one way do I see that the aeroplane can be used as an offensive weapon, and that is when on blockade duty, with the idea of capturing the port, ships out of range of the land batteries could send out machines with fire bombs and perhaps set fire to the port. Innumerable instances could be cited where the use of an aeroplane for scouting purposes would have been invaluable. In recent times may be cited the blockade of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War, and the blockade of Santiago, during the Spanish-American War. [Illustration: ELLYSON LAUNCHES HYDRO FROM WIRE CABLE] (A) The start. (B) Leaving the wire [Illustration: HUGH ROBINSON'S HYDRO FLIGHT DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI]