Last In Military Aviation.

New York Times 100 years ago today, December 24, 1912:
America Beaten by All, Says Expert — France in the Lead.
    WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.— The United States, home of the first heavier-than-air flying machine, is far behind other nations in military aviation, it was asserted to-day by Capt. Washington I. Chambers, U.S.N., chief of the navy's aviation corps.
    "France leads the world in aviation," he said, "and all that she does is worth noting. A short time ago, in response to an inquiry by the Minister of War, more than 3,000 officers signified their desire to learn aerial navigation. Germany leads in erostation, but is making great progress in aviation also. France has eight dirigibles, Germany thirty. The number of aeroplanes actually possessed by each is a rapidly increasing quantity, but France probably will have about 350 before the end of the year, the aim being to have 1,000 machines as soon as the requisite number of pilots can be taught to use them.
    "It is significant of German foresight that one of the first steps undertaken, when it was decided to construct a large aeroplane fleet, was to be found an aerodynamic laboratory. That is in Göttingen, where the best-known course of instruction in aeronautics is conducted ably by Prof. Prandtl.
    France leads with a total appropriation of $6,400,000 to date, and a popular subscription of $1,000,000. Germany is second with an appropriation of $1,500,000 and a subscription of $750,000. Next come Russia, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the United States.