must be expended in the training of the personnel and in accumulating the experience necessary to determine what types and establishment are really necessary.
§ 78. Type of Aircraft as imposed by Extraneous Conditions. In connection with the work of reconnaissance in home waters, where the "base" is a station situated on or in the region of a coast-line, it is well understood that the length and extent of the coast-line is a matter of considerable importance. If, on the one hand, the base be situated on a small island or promontory in the vicinity of hostile or neutral country, a dirigible or other similar low-velocity machine is clearly unsuitable. In the event of a high wind it would frequently be impossible for it to return to its base; tersely, it would be blown away. If, on the other hand, the base be situated on a long stretch of coast-line (such as the East Coast of Great Britain) with a number of well-placed stations, the risk is comparatively small; since, unless the wind is directly off shore (or nearly so) it will always be possible to make some other "port" than that of origin; the chance of its being lost will be remote.
When the operations in contemplation are far removed from home, beyond the radius of action of aeroplanes operating from a coast station or from friendly territory, we find ourselves confronted with difficulties of a kind for which there is no parallel in land operations. As pointed out in the preceding chapter, two solutions are possible. Either the machine must be capable of alighting on, and rising from, the water, and of riding in safety on the surface of the sea or ocean under ordinary weather conditions, and so be able to accompany and act as an auxiliary to a warship or squadron at sea; or some kind of sea-going pontoon vessel must be devised from which machines can be launched and on whose deck they may
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