aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第12章

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moment　she　was　stricken　helpless；　her　motive　power　was

overwhelmed　by　the　blind　forces　of　Nature。　　The　wind　caught　her

as　it　would　a　soap…bubble　and　hurled　her　into　the　sea；

precipitating　the　most　disastrous　calamity　in　the　annals　of

aeronautics；　since　not　only　was　the　ship　lost；　but　fifteen　of　her

crew　of　22　officers　and　men　were　drowned。



The　catastrophe　created　consternation　in　German　aeronautical

circles。　　A　searching　inquiry　was　held　to　explain　the　disaster；

but　as　usual　it　failed　to　yield　much　material　information。　　It　is

a　curious　circumstance；　but　every　successive　Zeppelin　disaster；

and　their　number　is　legion；　has　been　attributable　to　a　new　cause。　

In　this　instance　the　accident　was　additionally　disturbing；

inasmuch　as　the　ship　had　been　flying　across　country　continuously

for　about　twelve　months　and　had　covered　more　miles　than　any

preceding　craft　of　her　type。　　No　scientific　explanation　for　the

disaster　was　forthcoming；　but　the　commander　of　the　vessel；　who

sank　with　his　ship；　had　previously　ventured　his　personal　opinion

that　the　vessel　was　over…loaded　to　meet　the　calls　of　ambition；

was　by　no　means　seaworthy；　and　that　sooner　or　later　she　would　be

caught　by　a　heavy　broadside　wind　and　rendered　helpless；　or　that

she　would　make　a　headlong　dive　to　destruction。　　It　is　a

significant　fact　that　he　never　had　any　faith　in　the　airship；　at

least　for　sea　duty；　though　in　response　to　official　command　he

carried　out　his　duties　faithfully　and　with　a　blind　resignation　to

Fate。



Meantime；　owing　to　the　success　of　the　〃L…I〃　in　cross…country

operations；　another　and　more　powerful　craft；　the　〃L…II〃　had　been

taken　in　hand；　and　this　was　constructed　also　for　naval　use。　

While　shorter　than　her　consort；　being　only　487　feet　over　all；

thisvessel　had　a　greater　beam55　feet。　　This　latter　increase　was

decided　because　it　was　conceded　to　be　an　easier　matter　to　provide

for　greater　beam　than　enhanced　length　in　the　existing　air…ship

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　h