aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第6节

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The　King　of　Wurtemberg　took　a　personal　interest　in　his　subject's

uphill　struggle；　and　the　Wurtemberg　Government　granted　him　the

proceeds　of　a　lottery。　　With　this　money；　and　with　what　he

succeeded　in　raising　by　hook　and　by　crook；　and　by　mortgaging

his　remaining　property；　a　round　L20；000　was　obtained。　　With　this

capital　a　third　ship　was　taken　in　hand；　and　in　1905　it　was

launched。　　It　was　a　distinct　improvement　upon　its　predecessors。　

The　airship　was　414　feet　in　length　by　38　feet　in　diameter；　was

equipped　with　17　gas　balloons　having　an　aggregate　capacity　of

367；000　cubic　feet　of　hydrogen；　was　equipped　with　two　85

horse…power　motors　driving　four　propellers；　and　displaced　9　tons。　

All　the　imperfections　incidental　to　the　previous　craft　had　been

eliminated；　while　the　ship　followed　improved　lines　in　its

mechanical　and　structural　details。



The　trials　with　this　vessel　commenced　on　November　30th；　1905；　but

ill…luck　had　not　been　eluded。　　The　airship　was　moored　upon　a　raft

which　was　to　be　towed　out　into　the　lake　to　enable　the　dirigible

to　ascend。　　But　something　went　wrong　with　the　arrangements。　　A

strong　wind　caught　the　ungainly　airship；　she　dipped　her　nose　into

the　water；　and　as　the　motor　was　set　going　she　was　driven　deeper

into　the　lake；　the　vessel　only　being　saved　by　hurried　deflation。



Six　weeks　were　occupied　in　repairs；　but　another　ascent　was　made

on　January　17th；　1906。　　The　trials　were　fairly　satisfactory；　but

inconclusive。　　One　of　the　motors　went　wrong；　and　the　longitudinal

stability　was　found　to　be　indifferent。　　The　vessel　was　brought

down；　and　was　to　be　anchored；　but　the　Fates　ruled　otherwise。　　A

strong　wind　caught　her　during　the　night　and　she　was　speedily

reduced　to　indistinguishable　scrap。



Despite　catastrophe　the　inventor　wrestled　gamely　with　his

project。　　The　lessons　taught　by　one　disaster　were　taken　to　heart；

and　arrangements　to　prevent　the　recurrence　thereof　incorporated

in　the　succeeding　craft。　　Unfortunately；　however；　as　soon　as

one　defect　was　remedied　another　asserted　itself。　　It　was　this

persistent　revelation　of　the　unexpected　which　caused　another

period　of　indifference　towards　his　invention。　　Probably　nothing

more　would　have　been　heard　of　the　Zeppelin　after　this　last

accident　had　it　not　been　for　the　intervention　of　the　Prussian

Government　at　the　direct　instigation　of　the　Kaiser；　who　had　now

taken　Count　Zeppelin　under　his　wing。　　A　State　lottery　was

inaugurated；　the　proceeds　of　which　were　handed　over　to　the

indefatigable　inventor；　together　with　an　assurance　that　if　he

could　keep　aloft　24　hours　without　coming　to　earth　in　the

meantime；　and　could　cover　450　miles　within　this　period；　the

Government　would　repay　the　whole　of　the　money　he　had　lavished

upon　his　idea；　and　liquidate　all　the　debts　he　had　incurred

in　connection　therewith。



Another　craft　was　built；　larger　than　its　predecessors；　and

equipped　with　two　motors　developing　170　horse…power。　　Upon

completion　it　was　submitted　to　several　preliminary　flights；　which

were　so　eminently　successful　that　the　inventor　decided　to　make　a

trial　trip　under　conditions　closely　analogous　to　those　imposed

for　the　Government　test。　　On　June　20th；　1908；　at　8：26　a。m。　　the

craft　ascended　and　remained　aloft　for　12　hours；　during　which　time

it　made　an　encouraging　circular　tour。　　Flushed　with　this　success；

the　Count　considered　that　the　official　award　was　within　reach；

and　that　all　his　previous　disasters　and　misfortunes　were　on　the

eve　of　redemption。



The　crucial　test　was　essayed　on　August　5th；　1908。　　Accompanied　by

twelve　observers　the　vessel　ascended　and　travelled　without

incident　for　eight　hours。　　Then　a　slight　mishap　demanded

attention；　but　was　speedily　repaired；　and　was　ignored　officially

as　being　too　trivial　to　influence　the　main　issue。　　Victory

appeared　within　measurable　distance：　the　arduous　toil　of　many

patient　years　was　about　to　be　rewarded。　　The　airship　was　within

sight　of　home　when　it　had　to　descend　owing　to　the　development　of

another　motor　fault。　　But　as　it　approached　the　ground；　Nature；　as

if　infuriated　at　the　conquest；　rose　up　in　rebellion。　　A　sudden

squall　struck　the　unwieldy　monster。　　Within　a　few　moments　it

became　unmanageable；　and　through　some　inscrutable　cause；　it

caught　fire；　with　the　result　that　within　a　few　moments　it　was

reduced　to　a　tangled　mass　of　metallic　framework。



It　was　a　catastrophe　that　would　have　completely　vanquished　many

an　inventor；　but　the　Count　was　saved　the　gall　of　defeat。　　His

flight；　which　was　remarkable；　inasmuch　as　he　had　covered　380

miles　within　24　hours；　including　two　unavoidable　descents；　struck

the　Teuton　imagination。　　The　seeds　so　carefully　planted　by　the

〃Most　High　of　Prussia〃　now　bore　fruit。　　The　German　nation

sympathised　with　the　indomitable　inventor；　appreciated　his

genius；　and　promptly　poured　forth　a　stream　of　subscriptions　to

enable　him　to　build　another　vessel。　　The　intimation　that　other

Powers　had　approached　the　Count　for　the　acquisition　of　his　idea

became　known　far　and　wide；　together　with　the　circumstance　that

he　had　unequivocally　refused　all　offers。　　He　was　striving　for　the

Fatherland；　and　his　unselfish　patriotism　appealed　to　one　and　all。

Such　an　attitude　deserved　hearty　national　appreciation；　and　the

members　of　the　great　German　public　emptied　their　pockets　to　such

a　degree　that　within　a　few　weeks　a　sum　of　L300；000　or　1；500；000

was　voluntarily　subscribed。



All　financial　embarrassments　and　distresses　were　now　completely

removed　from　the　Count's　mind。　　He　could　forge　ahead　untrammelled

by　anxiety　and　worry。　　Another　Zeppelin　was　built　and　it　created

a　world's　record。　　It　remained　aloft　for　38　hours；　during　which

time　it　covered　690　miles；　and；　although　it　came　to　grief　upon

alighting；　by　colliding　with　a　tree；　the　final　incident　passed

unnoticed。　　Germany　was　in　advance　of　the　world。　　It　had　an

airship　which　could　go　anywhere；　irrespective　of　climatic

conditions；　and　in　true　Teuton　perspective　the　craft　was　viewed

from　the　military　standpoint。　　Here　was　a　means　of　obtaining　the

mastery　of　the　air：　a　formidable　engine　of　invasion　and　aerial

attack　had　been　perfected。　　Consequently　the　Grand　Idea　must　be

supported　with　unbounded　enthusiasm。　　The　Count　was　hailed　by　his

august　master　as　〃The　greatest　German　of　the　twentieth　century；〃

and　in　this　appreciation　the　populace　wholeheartedly　concurred。

Whether　such　a　panegyric　from　such　an　auspicious　quarter　is　praise

indeed　or　the　equivalent　of　complete　condemnation；　history　alone

will　be　able　to　judge；　but　when　one　reflects；　at　this　moment；　upon

the　achievements　of　this　aircraft　during　the　present　conflagration；

the　unprejudiced　will　be　rather　inclined　to　hazard　the　opinion

that　Imperial　Teuton　praise　is　a　synonym　for　damnation。



Although　the　Zeppelin　was　accepted　as　a　perfect　machine　it　has

never　been　possible　to　disperse　the　atmosphere　of　disaster　with

which　it　has　been　enveloped　from　the　first。　　Vessel　after　vessel

has　gone　up　in　smoke　and　flame：　few　craft　of　this　type　have

enjoyed　more　than　an　evanescent　existence；　and　each　successive

catastrophe　has　proved　more　terrible　than　its　predecessor。　　But

the　Teutonic　nation　has　been　induced　to　pin　its　whole　faith　on

this　airship；　notwithstanding　that　the　more　levelheaded　engineers

of　other　countries　have　always　maintained　the　craft　to　be　a

〃mechanical　monstrosity〃　condemned　from　its　design　and　principles

of　construction　to　disaster。　　Unshaken　by　this　adverse　criticism；

Germany　rests　assured　that　by　means　of　its　Zeppelins　it　will

achieve　that　universal　supremacy　which　it　is　convinced　is　its

Destiny。



This　blind　child…like　faith　has　been　responsible　for　the

establishment　and　development　of　the　Zeppelin　factories。　　At

Friedrichshafen　the　facilities　are　adequate　to　produce　two　of

these　vessels　per　month；　while　another　factory　of　a　similar

capacity　has　been　established　at　Berlin。　　Unfortunately　such　big

craft　demand　large　docks　to　accommodate　them；　and　in　turn　a　large

structure　of　this　character　constitutes　an　easy　mark　for　hostile

attack；　as　the　raiding　airmen　of　the　Allies　have　proved　very

convincingly。



But　the　Zeppelin　must　not　be　under…rated。　　Magnificent

performances　have　been　recorded　by　these　vessels；　such　as　the

round　1；000　miles'　trip　in　1909；　and　several　other　equally

brilliant　feats　since　that　date。　　It　is　quite　true　that　each

astounding　achievement　has　been　attended　by　an　equally　stupendous

accident；　but　that　is　accepted　as　a　mere　incidental　detail　by　the

faithful　Teutonic　nation。　　Many　vivid　prophecies　of　the

forthcoming　flights　by　Zeppelin　have　been　uttered；　and　it　is

quite　probable　that　more　than　one　will　be　fulfilled；　but　success

will　be　attributable　rather　to　accident　than　design。



Although　the　Zeppelin　is　the　main　stake　of　the　German　people　in

matters　pertaining　to　aerial　conquest；　other　types　of　airships

have　not　been　ignored；　as　related　in　another　chapter。　　They　have

been　fostered　upon　a　s