June 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



511 



Italian Aircraft in the War. 



AIRCRAFT activities in warfare are now numerous and 

 varied. Airplanes examine the battlefields minutely to 

 discover the enemy's defenses and traps, which are recorded 

 and mapped photographically. By 

 means of these records and in conjunc- 

 tion with kite and captive balloons, ar- 

 tillery fire is directed and infantry 

 columns led to victory, while both air- 

 planes and dirigibles, like cavalry raid- 

 ing parties in open warfare, often travel 

 far over enemy territory and find tar- 

 gets for bombs along communication 

 lines and in supply depots. 



Balloons of every sort have been of 

 inestimable value in the unique moun- 

 tain warfare being waged by Italy, 

 while airplanes are employed in great 

 numbers as on every European battle 

 front. Several dififerent types of air- 

 planes are in use, each to perform its 

 special task. There are Farman and 

 Voisin machines for reconnoissance, 

 Caproni machines for bombardment. 

 Farman and Caudron types for artillery 

 squadrons, and light, active Nieuport 

 machines for fighting and pursuing hos- 

 tile aircraft, while hydroplanes are used 

 at sea. 



The well-known firm of Pirelli & Co., 

 Milan, Italy, enjoys a practical mono- 

 poly of all rubber manufactures for the 

 Italian Government, has turned out large numbers of captive 

 balloons for the army, and also supplied considerable quantities 

 of balloon and airplane fabrics to the allied countries. In this 

 great establishment, one of the largest in Europe and employing 

 several thousand persons, the directors of the business are known 

 for their progres- 

 sive tendencies in 

 experiment- 

 ing with new rub- 

 bers, machinery 

 and processes. 

 There is probably 

 no article of ruli- 

 ber, gutta percha, 

 asbestos or bala- 

 ta which is not 

 made to-day by 

 Pirelli & Co. 

 Tires, footwear, 

 soles, waterproof 

 fabrics, surgical, 

 sporting and hard 

 rubber goods are 

 all important 

 lines, and thi.s 

 firm was the first 

 in Europe to 

 compete with 

 England in rub- 

 ber thread and 

 the making and 

 laying of s u b- 

 marine cables. 



It.^lian Captive Balloon Ascending 



WoRKixc FnRrp. of Pirli.i.i & Co.. Milan 



Thousands of miles of cables have been laid for the Italian and 

 Spanish Governments and the maintenance of many laid by 

 England has been assumed. Power cables over the Andes in 

 South America, and for distributing 

 the enormous power at Niagara Falls, 

 are considered among their most spec- 

 tacular achievements. To facilitate this 

 work large branch factories are in 

 operation at Spezia, Italy, Southamp- 

 ton, England, and near Barcelona, 

 Spain. All of this experience fitted 

 them notably to assist their govern- 

 ment whA war was declared. 



.-\t present the firm's output is chiefly 

 of a military character and the family 

 ^ which owns and directs it is placing 



9 its services unreservedly at the com- 



mand of the nation. While Dr. Alberto 

 Pirelli is under government orders in 

 charge of Italian army construction 

 work in his factory, several depart- 

 ments of which have been militarized, 

 his three brothers have all joined the 

 colors. Piero Pirelli, also a managing 

 partner of the firm, is attached to the 

 stafif of the commander-in-chief, an- 

 other brother is in a cavalry regiment 

 and the third has joined the aviation 

 corps. 



Cooperation and coordination in war 

 manufacture are now in order as never 

 before, and as Italy has become an ally of the United States 

 equally with England, France and Russia, it is likely that the big 

 rubber companies of America might obtain practical informa- 

 tion from Pirelli & Co. that would be of great service in the 

 manufacture of balloons, "blimps" and other dirigibles of larger 



size. Dr. Pirelli 

 visited the United 

 States for sev- 

 eral w^ e e k s in 

 1908, when he 

 met many of our 

 leading rubber 

 men. 



It will be re- 

 membered that 

 George A. Pirel- 

 li, one of the 

 firm, spent sev- 

 eral months in 

 the United 

 States about a 

 a year ago and 

 called on the 

 various supply 

 and m a c h inery 

 houses and also 

 visited the prin- 

 cipal rubber mills 

 of the United 

 States and Cana- 

 da, returning to 

 Italy late in the 

 fall. 



