aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第11节

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harbours。　　The　〃L…II〃　displaced　27　tonsfive　tons　in　excess　of

her　predecessor。　　In　this　vessel　many　innovations　were

introduced；　such　as　the　provision　of　the　passage…way　connecting

the　cars　within　the　hull；　instead　of　outside　the　latter　as　had

hitherto　been　the　practice；　while　the　three　cars　were　placed　more

closely　together　than　formerly。　　The　motors　were　of　an　improved

type；　giving　an　aggregate　output　of　900　horse…power；　and　were

divided　into　four　separate　units；　housed　in　two　engine…rooms；　the

front　car　being　a　replica　in　every　detail　of　the　navigating

bridge　of　a　warship。



This　vessel　was　regarded　as　a　distinct　improvement　upon　the

〃L…I；〃　although　the　latter　could　boast　some　great　achievements。　

But　her　glory　was　short…lived。　　In　the　course　of　the　Government

trials；　while　some　900　feet　aloft；　the　huge　vessel　suddenly

exploded　and　was　burned　in　the　air；　a　mass　of　broken　and　twisted

metal…work　falling　to　the　ground。　　Of　the　28　officers　and　men；

including　members　of　the　Admiralty　Board　who　were　conducting　the

official　trials；　all　but　one　were　killed　outright；　and　the

solitary　exception　was　so　terribly　burned　as　to　survive　the　fall

for　only　a　few　hours。



The　accident　was　remarkable　and　demonstrated　very　convincingly

that　although　Count　Zeppelin　apparently　had　made　huge　strides　in

aerial　navigation　through　the　passage　of　years；　yet　in　reality　he

had　made　no　progress　at　all。　　He　committed　the　identical　error

that　characterised　the　effort　of　Severo　Pax　ten　years　previously；

and　the　disaster　was　directly　attributable　to　the　self…same　cause

as　that　which　overwhelmed　the　Severo　airship。　　The　gas；　escaping　

from　the　balloons　housed　in　the　hull；　collected　in　the　confined

passage…way　communicating　with　the　cars；　came　into　contact　with　a

naked　light；　possibly　the　exhaust　from　the　motors；　and　instantly

detonated　with　terrific　force；　blowing　the　airship　to　fragments

and　setting　fire　to　all　the　inflammable　materials。



In　this　airship　Zeppelin　committed　an　unpardonable　blunder。　　

He　had　ignored　the　factor　of　〃internal　safety；〃　and　had

deliberately　flown　in　the　face　of　the　official　rule　which　had

been　laid　down　in　France　after　the　Severo　disaster；　which

absolutely　forbade　the　inclusion　of　such　confined　spaces　as

Zeppelin　had　incorporated。　　This　catastrophe　coming　so　closely　as

it　did　upon　the　preceding　disaster　to　the　pride　of　the　German

aerial　fleet　somewhat　shook　public　confidence　in　these　craft；

while　aeronautical　authorities　of　other　countries　described　the

Zeppelin　more　vehemently　than　ever　as　a　〃mechanical　monstrosity〃

and　a　〃scientific　curiosity。〃



The　Zeppelin　has　come　to　be　feared　in　a　general　manner；　but　this

result　is　due　rather　to　stories　sedulously　circulated；　and　which

may　be　easily　traced　to　Teutonic　sources。　　Very　few　data　of　a

reliable　character　have　been　allowed　to　filter　through　official

circles。　　We　have　been　told　somewhat　verbosely　of　what　it　can

accomplish　and　of　its　high　degree　of　efficiency　and　speed。　　But

can　credence　be　placed　in　these　statements？



When　Zeppelin　IV　made　its　unexpected　descent　at　Luneville；　and

was　promptly　seized　by　the　French　authorities；　the　German　War

office　evinced　distinct　signs　of　uneasiness。　　The　reason　was

speedily　forth　coming。　　The　captain　of　the　craft　which　had　been

captured　forgot　to　destroy　his　log　and　other　records　of　data

concerning　the　vessel　which　had　been　scientifically　collected

during　the　journey。　　All　this　information　fell　into　the　hands　of

the　French　military　department；　and　it　proved　a　wondrous

revelation。　　It　enabled　the　French　to　value　the　Zeppelin　at　its

true　worth；　which　was　by　no　means　comparable　to　the　estimate

based　on　reports　skilfully　circulated　for　the　benefit　of　the

world　at　large。



Recently　the　French　military　department　permitted　the　results　of

their　expert　official　examination　to　be　made　public。　　From　close

investigation　of　the　log…book　and　the　diagrams　which　had　been

prepared；　it　was　found　that　the　maximum　speed　attained　by

Zeppelin　IV　during　this　momentous　flight　was　only　45　miles　per

hour！　　It　was　ascertained；　moreover；　that　the　load　was　10；560

pounds；　and　the　ascensional　effort　45；100　pounds。　　The　fuel

consumption　had　averaged　297　pounds　per　hour；　while　the　fuel

tanks　carried　sufficient　for　a　flight　of　about　seven　hours。　　The

airship　had　attained　a　maximum　height　of　about　6；230　feet；　to

reach　which　6；600　pounds　of　ballast　had　to　be　discarded。　

Moreover；　it　was　proved　that　a　Zeppelin；　if　travelling　under

military　conditions　with　full　armament　and　ammunition　aboard；

could　carry　sufficient　fuel　for　only　ten　hours　at　the　utmost；

during　which；　if　the　slightest　head…wind　prevailed；　it　could　not

cover　more　than　340　miles　on　the　one　fuel　charge。



This　information　has　certainly　proved　a　revelation　and　has

contributed　to　the　indifference　with　which　the　Parisians　regard　a

Zeppelin　raid。　　At　the　outbreak　of　war　the　Zeppelin　station

nearest　to　Paris　was　at　Metz；　but　to　make　the　raid　from　that

point　the　airship　was　forced　to　cover　a　round　500　miles。　　It　is

scarcely　to　be　supposed　that　perfectly　calm　weather　would　prevail

during　the　whole　period　of　the　flight；　so　that　a　raid　would　be

attended　by　considerable　risk。　　That　this　handicap　was　recognised

in　German　military　circles　is　borne　out　by　the　fact　that　a

temporary　Zeppelin　hangar　was　established　at　a　point　considerably

nearer　the　French　capital；　for　the　purpose　of　enabling　a　raid　to

be　carried　out　with　a　greater　possibility　of　success。



The　capture　of　Zeppelin　IV　revealed　another　important　fact。　　The

critical　flying　height　of　the　airship　is　between　3；300　and　4；000

feet。　　To　attempt　a　raid　at　such　an　altitude　would　be　to　court

certain　disaster；　inasmuch　as　the　vessel　would　have　to　run　the

gauntlet　of　the　whole　of　the　French　artillery；　which　it　is

admitted　has　a　maximum　range　exceeding　the　flying　altitude　of　the

Zeppelin。　　That　the　above　calculation　is　within　reason　is

supported　by　the　statements　of　Count　Zeppelin　himself；　who　has

declared　that　his　airships　are　useless　at　a　height　exceeding

5；000　feet。　　Confirmatory　evidence　upon　this　point　is　offered　by

the　raid　upon　the　British　East　Coast　towns；　when　it　is　stated

that　the　aircraft　were　manoeuvring　at　a　height　not　exceeding

2；000　feet。







CHAPTER　VI

THE　MILITARY　VALUE　OF　GERMANY'S　AERIAL　FLEET



Although　the　Zeppelin　undoubtedly　has　been　over…rated　by　the

forces　to　which　it　is　attached；　at　the　same　time　it　must　not　be

under…estimated　by　its　detractors。　　Larger　and　more　powerful

vessels　of　this　type　have　been；　and　still　are　being；　constructed；

culminating；　so　far　as　is　known；　in　the　〃L…5；〃　which　is　stated　to

have　a　capacity　of　about　1；000；000　cubic　feet；　and　to　possess　an

average　speed　of　65　miles　per　hour。



While　it　is　generally　maintained　that　the　Zeppelins　will　prove

formidable　in　attack；　greater　reliance　is　being　placed　upon　the

demoralising　or　terrifying　effect　which　they　are　able　to

exercise。　　Owing　to　the　fact　that　from　3　to　5　tons　of　fuelsay

900　to　1；500　gallons　of　gasoline　or　petrolcan　be　carried

aboard；　giving　them　a　wide　radius　of　action；　it　is　doubtful

whether　they　could　travel　from　Cologne　to　London　and　back　upon　a

single　fuel　charge；　since　such　a　raid　would　entail　a　journey　of

about　600　miles。　　The　latest　types　of　this　craft　are　said　to

possess　a　high　ascensional　speed；　which　offers　a　distinct

protection　against　aeroplane　attack。　　According　to　such　official

information　as　has　been　vouchsafed；　a　Zeppelin；　when　hard

pressed；　is　able　to　rise　vertically　3；500　feet　in　about　three

minutes。　　This　is　far　in　excess　of　the　ascensional　speed　of　even

the　speediest　aeroplane。　　of　course；　the　penalty　for　such　a

factor　has　to　be　paid：　the　loss　of　gas　is　appreciable　and　may

lead　to　the　craft's　ultimate　undoing。　　At　the　same　time；　however；

it　is　able　to　maintain　the　superior　position　as　compared　with

the　aeroplane　for　a　considerable　period：　the　upper　reaches　of　the

air　are　its　sanctuary。



Nor　must　the　nocturnal　activities　of　the　Zeppelin　be　overlooked。　

So　far　as　night　operations　by　these　vessels　are　concerned；　little

has　leaked　out；　so　that　the　possibilities　of　the　airship　in　this

direction　are　still　somewhat　hypothetical。　　The　fact　remains；

however；　that　it　is　night　movements　which　perhaps　are　the　most　to

be　dreaded　by　the　enemy。　　According　to　official　German　sources　of

information　the　latest　types　of　Zeppelins　are　engined　by

〃noiseless〃　motors。　　There　is　nothing　remarkable　in　this　feature；

since　the　modern　motor…car　virtually　answers　to　this　description；

although　in　this　instance　quietness　is　obtained　for　the　most　part

by　recourse　to　the　sleeve…valve　engine。　　Still；　the　ordinary

Otto…cycle　internal　combustion　engine　can　be　rendered　almost

silent　by　the　utilisation　of　adequate　muffling　devices；　which；　in

the　Zeppelin；　are　more　possible　of　incorporation　than　in　the

aeroplane；　because　the　extra　weight　imposed　by　this