i88i. 
I 499 ) 
CORRESPOND E'N C E. 
*** The Editor does not hold himself responsible for statements of fads or 
opinions expressed in Correspondence, or in Articles bearing the signature 
of their respective authors. 
AERIAL NAVIGATION. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science. 
Sir, — As the writer of the greater part of the article on “ Aerial 
Navigation ” in “ Progress of Science ” for May, I trust you 
will pardon my referring to the criticism thereon in the July 
number of “Journal of Science.” 
The objection therein made to such “ an enterprise ” is “ that 
it will give a fearful advantage to aggressive war.” 
Believing as I do that the ultimate result of aerial navigation 
will be to practically abolish war, which I cordially detest as 
being inimical to progress, I regret that the mass of arguments 
for or against any views on the subject must be merely specu- 
lative so long as the chief problems of aeronautics are publicly 
unsolved. I can therefore only tender opinions in place of ar- 
guments. 
The first I quote are those of an eloquent writer in “ Scribner’s 
Monthly ” : — 
“ . . . The great peoples of Christendom soon will arrive 
at a common understanding; the Congress of Nations no longer 
will be an ideal scheme, but a necessity, maintaining order 
among its constituents, and exercising supervision over the 
ruder, less civilised portions of the globe. . . . War between 
enlightened nations soon will be unknown. Men will see * the 
heavens fill with commerce,’ but after a few destructive experi- 
ments there will rain no — 
‘ ghastly dew 
From the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue. 
Troops, aerial squadrons, death-dealing armaments will be main- 
tained only for police surveillance over barbarous races, and for 
instantly enforcing the judicial decrees of the world’s Inter- 
national Court of Appeal. . . . Material progress determines 
the intellectual and spiritual progress of the human race. Its 
