aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第4节

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E。　　The　explosion　takes　place　in　the　line　of　sight　of　B；　who

knows　that　he　has　fired　short　of　the　balloon　because　the　latter

is　eclipsed　by　the　smoke。　　But　the　two　observers　see　that　it　is

very　short；　and　here　again　the　explosion　appears　to　O1　to　have

occurred　to　the　right　of　the　target；　while　to　O2　it　has　evidently

burst　to　the　left　of　the　aerostat；　as　revealed　by　the　relation　of

the　position　of　the　balloon　to　the　bursting　of　the　shell　shown　in

Fig。　3。



A　third　round　is　fired；　and　the　shell　explodes　at　F。　　In　this

instance　the　explosion　takes　place　below　the　balloon。　　Both　the

observers　and　the　artillery　man　concur　in　their　deductions　upon

the　point　at　which　the　shell　burst。　　But　the　shell　must　explode

above　the　balloon；　and　accordingly　a　fourth　round　is　discharged

and　the　shell　bursts　at　G。



This　appears　to　be　above　the　balloon；　inasmuch　as　the　lines　of

sight　of　the　two　observers　and　B　converge　at　this　point。　　But

whether　the　explosion　occurs　immediately　above　the　vessel　as　is

desired；　it　is　impossible　to　say　definitely；　because　it　may

explode　too　far　behind　to　be　effective。　　Consequently；　if　this

shell　should　prove　abortive；　the　practice　is　to　decrease　the

range　gradually　with　each　succeeding　round　until　the　explosion

occurs　at　the　critical　point；　when；　of　course；　the　balloon　is

destroyed。　　An　interesting　idea　of　the　difficulty　of　picking　up

the　range　of　a　captive　balloon　may　be　gathered　from　the　fact　that

some　ten　minutes　are　required　to　complete　the　operation。



But　success　is　due　more　to　luck　than　judgment。　　In　the　foregoing

explanation　it　is　premised　that　the　aerial　vessel　remains

stationary；　which　is　an　ex　tremely　unlikely　contingency。　　While

those　upon　the　ground　are　striving　to　pick　up　the　range；　the

observer　is　equally　active　in　his　efforts　to　baffle　his

opponents。　　The　observer　follows　each　successive；　round　with　keen

interest；　and　when　the　shells　appear　to　be　bursting　at

uncomfortably　close　quarters　naturally　he　intimates　to　his

colleagues　below　that　he　desires　his　position　to　be　changed；

either　by　ascending　to　a　higher　point　or　descending。　　In　fact；　he

may　be　content　to　come　to　the　ground。　　Nor　must　the　fact　be

overlooked　that　while　the　enemy　is　trying　to　place　the　observer

hors　de　combat；　he　is　revealing　the　position　of　his　artillery；

and　the　observer　is　equally　industrious　in　picking　up　the　range

of　the　hostile　guns　for　the　benefit　of　his　friends　below。



When　the　captive　balloon　is　aloft　in　a　wind　the　chances　of　the

enemy　picking　up　the　range　thereof　are　extremely　slender；　as　it

is　continually　swinging　　to　and　fro。　　While　there　is　always　the

possibility　of　a　shell　bursting　at　such　a　lucky　moment　as　to

demolish　the　aerial　target；　it　is　generally　conceded　to　be

impossible　to　induce　a　shell　to　burst　within　100　yards　of　a

balloon；　no　matter　how　skilfully　the　hostile　battery　may　be

operated。



The　value　of　the　captive　balloon　has　been　demonstrated　very

strikingly　throughout　the　attack　upon　the　entrenched　German

positions　in　Flanders。　　Owing　to　the　undulating　character　of　the

dunes　the　〃spotters〃　upon　the　British　monitors　and　battle　ships

are　unable　to　obtain　a　sweeping　view　of　the　country。　　Accordingly

captive　balloons　are　sent　aloft　in　some　cases　from　the　deck　of

the　monitors；　and　in　others　from　a　suitable　point　upon　the　beach

itself。　　The　aerial　observer　from　his　point　of　vantage　is　able　to

pick　up　the　positions　of　the　German　forces　and　artillery　with

ease　and　to　communicate　the　data　thus　gained　to　the　British

vessels；　although　subjected　to　heavy　and　continuous　hostile　fire。

The　difficulty　of　hitting　a　captive　balloon　has　been　graphically

emphasised；　inasmuch　as　the　German　artillerists　have　failed　to

bring　down　a　solitary　balloon。　　On　the　other　hand　the　observer　in

the　air　is　able　to　signal　the　results　of　each　salvo　fired　from

the　British　battleships　as　they　manoeuvre　at　full　speed　up　and

down　the　coastline；　while　he　keeps　the　fire　of　the　monitors

concentrated　upon　the　German　positions　until　the　latter　have　been

rendered　untenable　or　demolished。　　The　accuracy　of　the　British

gun…fire　has　astonished　even　the　Germans；　but　it　has　been

directly　attributable　to　the　rangefinder　perched　in　the　car　of

the　captive　balloon　and　his　rapid　transmission　of　information　to

the　vessels　below。



The　enthusiastic　supporters　of　aerial　navigation　maintained　that

the　dirigible　and　the　aeroplane　would　supersede　the　captive

balloon　completely。　　But　as　a　matter　of　fact　the　present　conflict

has　established　the　value　of　this　factor　more　firmly　than　ever。

There　is　not　the　slightest　possibility　that　the　captive　balloon

sections　of　the　belligerents　will　be　disbanded；　especially　those

which　have　the　fruits　of　experience　to　guide　them。　　The　airship

and　the　aeroplane　have　accomplished　wonders；　but　despite　their

achievements　the　captive　balloon　has　fully　substantiated　its

value　as　a　military　unit　in　its　particular　field　of　operations。







CHAPTER　III

GERMANY'S　RISE　TO　MILITARY　AIRSHIP　SUPREMACY



Two　incidents　in　the　history　of　aviation　stand　out　with

exceptional　prominence。　　The　one　is　the　evolution　of　the　Zeppelin

airshipa　story　teeming　with　romance　and　affording　striking　and

illuminating　glimpses　of　dogged　perseverance；　grim　determination

in　the　face　of　repeated　disasters；　and　the　blind　courageous　faith

of　the　inventor　in　the　creation　of　his　own　brain。　　The　second　is

the　remarkable　growth　of　Germany's　military　airship　organisation；

which　has　been　so　rapid　and　complete　as　to　enable　her　to　assume

supremacy　in　this　field；　and　that　within　the　short　span　of　a

single　decade。



The　Zeppelin　has　always　aroused　the　world's　attention；　although

this　interest　has　fluctuated。　　Regarded　at　first　as　a　wonderful

achievement　of　genius；　afterwards　as　a　freak；　then　as　the　ready

butt　for　universal　ridicule；　and　finally　with　awe；　if　not　with

absolute　terrorsuch　in　brief　is　the　history　of　this　craft　of

the　air。



Count　von　Zeppelin　can　scarcely　be　regarded　as　an　ordinary　man。

He　took　up　the　subject　of　flight　at　an　age　which　the　majority　of

individuals　regard　as　the　opportune　moment　for　retirement　from

activity；　and；　knowing　nothing　about　mechanical　engineering；　he

concentrated　his　energies　upon　the　study　of　this　science　to

enable　him　to　master　the　difficulties　of　a　mechanical　character

incidental　to　the　realisation　of　his　grand　idea。　　His　energy　and

indomitable　perseverance　are　equalled　by　his　ardent　patriotism；

because；　although　the　Fatherland　discounted　his　idea　when　other

Powers　were　ready　to　consider　it；　and　indeed　made　him　tempting

offers　for　the　acquisition　of　his　handiwork；　he　stoutly　declined

all　such　solicitations；　declaring　that　his　invention；　if　such　it

may　be　termed；　was　for　his　own　country　and　none　other。



Count　von　Zeppelin　developed　his　line　of　study　and　thought　for

one　reason　only。　　As　an　old　campaigner　and　a　student　of　military

affairs　he　realised　the　shortcomings　of　the　existing　methods　of

scouting　and　reconnoitring。　　He　appreciated　more　than　any　other

man　of　the　day　perhaps；　that　if　the　commander…in…chief　of　an　army

were　provided　with　facilities　for　gazing　down　upon　the　scene　of

operations；　and　were　able　to　take　advantage　of　all　the

information　accruing　to　the　man　above　who　sees　all；　he　would　　

hold　a　superior　position；　and　be　able　to　dispose　his　forces　and

to　arrange　his　plan　of　campaign　to　the　most　decisive　advantage。　　

In　other　words；　Zeppelin　conceived　and　developed　his　airship　for

one　field　of　application　and　that　alone…military　operations。　　

Although　it　has　achieved　certain　successes　in　other　directions

these　have　been　subsidiary　to　the　primary　intention；　and　have

merely　served　to　emphasise　its　military　value。



Von　Zeppelin　was　handicapped　in　his　line　of　thought　and

investigation　from　the　very　first。　　He　dreamed　big　things　upon　a

big　scale。　　The　colossal　always　makes　a　peculiar　and　irresistible

appeal　to　the　Teutonic　nature。　　So　he　contemplated　the　perfection

of　a　big　dirigible；　eclipsing　in　every　respect　anything　ever

attempted　or　likely　to　be　attempted　by　rival　countries。

Unfortunately；　the　realisation　of　the　〃colossal〃　entails　an

equally　colossal　financial　reserve；　and　the　creator　of　this　form

of　airship　for　years　suffered　from　financial　cramp　in　its　worst

　manifestation。　　Probably　it　was　to　the　benefit　of　the　world　at

large　that　Fortune　played　him　such　sorry　tricks。　　It　retarded　the

growth　of　German　ambitions　in　one　direction　very　effectively。



As　is　well　known　Zeppelin　evolved　what　may　be　termed　an

individual　line　of　thought　in　connection　with　his　airship

activities。　　He　adopted　what　is　known　as　the　indeformable

airship：　that　is　to　say　the　rigid；　as　opposed　to　the　semi…rigid

and　flexible　craft。　　As　a　result　of　patient　experiment　and

continued　researches　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　a　huge　outer

envelope　taking　the　form　of　a　polygonal　cylinder　with

hemispherical　ends；　constructed