seless, because the smoke
from the firing line is, necessarily, between the
balloon and the enemy, so that the aerial scout
has no opportunity to make any observations, even
in detached portions of the fighting zone, which
are of any value to the commanders.

CHANGED CONDITIONS OF WARFARE.--Since our
great war, conditions pertaining to guns have been
revolutionized. Now the ranges are so great that
captive balloons would have to be located far in
the rear, and at such a great distance from the
firing line that even the best field glasses would
be useless.

The science of war has also evolved another
condition. Soldiers are no longer exposed during
artillery attacks. Uniforms are made to imitate
natural objects. The khaki suits were designed
to imitate the yellow veldts of South Africa;
the gray-green garments of the German
forces are designed to simulate the green fields
of the north.

THE EFFORT TO CONCEAL COMBATANTS.--The
French have discarded the historic red trousers,
and the elimination of lace, white gloves, and
other telltale insignias of the officers, have been
dispensed with by special orders.

In the great European war armies have burrowed
in the earth along battle lines hundreds of
miles in length; made covered trenches; prepared
artificial groves to conceal batteries, and in many
ingenious ways endeavored to make the battlefield
an imitation field of nature.

SMOKELESS POWDER.--While smokeless powder
has been utilized to still further hide a fighting
force, it has, in a measure, uncovered itself, as
the battlefield is not now, as in olden times, overspread
with masses of rolling smoke.

Nevertheless, over every battlefield there is a
haze which can be penetrated only from above,
hence the possibilities of utilizing the aeroplane
in war became the most important study with all
nations, as soon as flying became an accomplished
fact.

INVENTIONS TO ATTACK AERIAL CRAFT.--Before
any nation had the opportunity to make an actual
test on the battlefield, inventors were at work to
devise a means whereby an aer