AERIAL FOREST PATROL 



BY W. T. COX, State Forester of Minnesota 



THE time has passed when flying machines should 

 be looked upon as toys or experiments. They have 

 been developed to the point where they are being 

 used daily and with comparative safety. Within the past 

 five years thousands of men have been trained to guide 

 aeroplanes and hydroaeroplanes among the clouds with a 

 greater degree of safety than any other kind of machine or 

 conveyance can be driven at the same speed on the ground. 



The European War is calling for aeronauts in increas- 

 ing numbers. They are wanted to carry dispatches, to 

 observe movements of enemy forces, and even to carry 

 on offensive movements against the enemy. They are 

 not only practicable and reliable as machines go, but are 

 now considered almost indispensable for the armies. 



Some years ago, when I watched the Wright brothers 

 make the first successful flight for the Government prize 

 at Fort Meyer, Virginia, it occurred to me that aeroplanes 

 were certain to find a field of usefulness in forest patrol. 

 In what other way could a large tract of forest be so 

 quickly seen and fires detected ? Since the winning of 

 that prize at Fort Meyer, the Wright brothers and many 

 others interested in aeronautics have been steadily and 

 rapidly perfecting the different types of flying machines. 

 Today they are almost as practical as the automobile. 



To appreciate what the advent of the aeroplane means 

 in patrol work, it is necessary to know what constitutes 

 adequate forest patrol and what it costs. Let us figure 

 a little. Ninety-nine forest fires out of every hundred 

 can be extinguished in a few hours by one or two men if 

 the fire is reached within half a day after it starts. That 

 is why the rangers and their patrolmen are effective. But 

 it costs money to maintain the right kind of a patrol force. 

 There should be at least one man to every 72 square miles 

 of forest, 22 to every million acres, 110 men for five 

 million acres. The maintenance of these men for six 

 months at $70 per month, plus necessary equipment in 

 the shape of canoes, tents, etc., would amount to $49,500. 

 This is exclusive of the cost of special fire-fighting crews, 

 and winter work to see that loggers burn their slash. 

 Sixty thousand dollars a year, in round numbers, would 

 be the cost of adequately protecting five million acres of 

 forest ; and, since that area of forest land represents about 

 $100,000,000 worth of inflammable property, the protec- 

 tion cost six hundredths of 1 per cent is fairly low 

 insurance. It would be a fortunate city government that 

 could maintain its public fire department at anything like 

 so low a rate. Nevertheless, by the use of flying machines 

 even this low cost of protecting the forest can be reduced, 

 particularly in a country like northeastern Minnesota, 

 where there are so many lakes. 



Five million acres represents one-quarter of the forest 

 region needing patrol in Minnesota ; it represents also the 

 lake-dotted area of Northeastern Minnesota, which is 



peculiarly adapted to patrol by the use of hydroaeroplanes 

 or flying boats. An aeroplane, it may be stated, starts , 

 from a fairly smooth spot of ground and must alight upon 

 a similar clear space of ground. A hydroaeroplane, as 

 the name signifies, starts from a water surface and alights 

 upon water. Northeastern Minnesota, with its thousands 

 of lakes and numerous streams, is the place above all 

 others on the continent where flying boats can be used to 

 advantage in forest patrol. Three hydroaeroplanes and 

 four officers are required. The machines, allowing for a 

 life of three years, cost $7750 a year; repairs and sup- 

 plies $100 a month, or $600; two aviators, at $200 per 

 month ; two observers, at $100 per month ; and a mechanic 

 at $80 per month, cost $4080 for the six months annual ser- 

 vice. This brings the total expense for six months aerial 

 patrol for five million acres to $12,430. The aerial patrol 

 cannot entirely replace the foot and canoe patrolmen, be- 

 cause a certain number of men are needed at accessible 

 points to respond quickly to calls when fires occur. The 

 number of such men for five million acres varies from 

 20 to 30, depending upon the kind of season ; an aver- 

 age force of 25 men should suffice. In other words, the 

 use of flying boats for one season at a cost of $12,430 

 reduces the patrol force by 85 men, whose wages 

 would have amounted to $38,310 a net saving in 

 patrol cost of $25,880. 



My idea in advocating the use of hydroaeroplanes in 

 northeastern Minnesota was that the U. S. Navy Depart- 

 ment furnish the machines and establish a training station 

 for aeronautics in connection with the Naval Militia Sta- 

 tion at Duluth. The State of Minnesota might then co- 

 operate, at slight expense, with the Federal Government 

 in the carrying out of systematic aerial patrol. By such 

 an arrangement, Minnesota would profit in having ade- 

 quate protection over millions of acres of forest, worth 

 to the State millions of dollars a year for timber pro- 

 duction and recreation purposes. The United States 

 Government would profit through protecting the Superior 

 National Forest and through training up a corps of com- 

 petent aeronauts for the national defense. The propo- 

 sition was taken up with the Washington authorities more 

 than a year ago. Secretary Daniels seems to be favorably 

 inclined toward the plan, and it is probable that some such 

 arrangement can be worked out in the near future. 



A T the direction of the King, Spain has passed a law 

 ^"*- providing for National Parks. The measure also pro- 

 vides for the better protection of the fauna and the 

 flora, according to an announcement of Consul General 

 Hurst at Barcelona, and for a publicity department to 

 better acquaint the traveling public with the scenery of 

 Spain. 



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