aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第14章

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But　the　most　salient　characteristic　of　this　machine　is　its

portability。　　It　can　be　dismantled　and　transported　by　wagons　to

any　desired　spot；　the　suspension　frame　being　constructed　in

units；　each　of　which　is　sufficiently　small　to　be　accommodated　in

an　ordinary　vehicle。　　Upon　arrival　the　parts　may　be　put　together

speedily　and　easily。　　The　authorities　submitted　the　airship　to

exacting　trials　and　were　so　impressed　by　its　characteristics　and

the　claims　of　the　inventor　that　undoubtedly　it　will　be　brought

into　service　during　the　present　crisis。



At　the　same　time　the　whole　faith　of　the　German　military　staff　so

far　as　airship　operations　are　concerned；　is　pinned　to　the

Zeppelin。　　Notwithstanding　its　many　drawbacks　it　is　the　vessel

which　will　be　used　for　the　invasion　of　Great　Britain。　　Even　the

harbour　question；　which　is　admitted　to　be　somewhat　acute；　has

been　solved　to　a　certain　degree。　　At　strategical　points　permanent

harbours　or　airship　sheds　have　been　established。　　Seeing　that　the

airships　demand　considerable　skill　in　docking　and　undocking；　and

that　it　is　impossible　to　achieve　these　operations　against　the

wind；　swinging　sheds　have　been　adopted。



On　water　the　practice　is　to　anchor　a　floating　harbour　at　one　end；

leaving　the　structure　to　swing　round　with　the　wind。　　But　on　dry

land　such　a　dock　is　impossible。　　Accordingly　turntable　sheds

have　been　adopted。　　The　shed　is　mounted　upon　a　double　turn…table；

there　being　two　circular　tracks　the　one　near　the　centre　of　the

shed　and　the　other　towards　its　extremities。　　The　shed　is　mounted

upon　a　centre　pivot　and　wheels　engaged　with　these　inner　and　outer

tracks。　　In　this　manner　the　shed　may　be　swung　round　to　the　most

favourable　point　of　the　compass　according　to　the　wind。



In　the　field；　however；　such　practices　are　impossible；　and　the

issue　in　this　connection　has　been　overcome　by　recourse　to　what

may　be　termed　portable　harbours。　　They　resemble　the　tents　of

peripatetic　circuses　and　travelling　exhibitions。　　There　is　a

network　of　vertical　steel　members　which　may　be　set　with　facility

and　speed　and　which　are　stayed　by　means　of　wire　guys。　　At　the　top

of　the　outer　vertical　posts　pulleys　are　provided　whereby　the

outer　skin　or　canvas　forming　the　walls　may　be　hauled　into

position；　while　at　the　apex　of　the　roof　further　pulleys　ensure

the　proper　placing　of　the　roofing。　　The　airship　is　able　to　enter

or　leave　from　either　end　according　to　conditions。　　The　material

is　fireproofed　as　a　precautionary　measure；　but　at　the　same　time

the　modern　aerial　bomb　is　able　to　penetrate　the　roofing　without

any　difficulty　and　to　explode　against　the　airship　anchored

within。



The　one　great　objection　to　the　Zeppelin　harbour　is　the　huge

target　it　offers　to　hostile　attack；　which；　in　the　event　of　a

vessel　being　moored　within；　is　inevitably　serious。　　Thus；　for

instance；　upon　the　occasion　of　the　air　raids　conducted　by

Lieutenant　Collet　and　of　Squadron　Commander　Briggs　and　his

colleagues　at　Dusseldorf　and　Friedrichshafen　respectively；

little　difficulty　was　experienced　in　destroying　the　airships

riding　at　anchor。　　The　target　offered　by　the　shed　is　so　extensive

that　it　would　be　scarcely　possible　for　a　flying　enemy　to　miss　it。　

A　bomb　dropped　from　a　reasonable　height；　say　500　feet；　would　be

almost　certain　to　strike　some　part　of　the　building；　and　a

Zeppelin　is　an　easy　vessel　to　destroy。　　The　firing　of　one　balloon

is　sufficient　to　detonate　the　whole；　for　the　simple　reason　that

hydrogen　gas　is　continuously　oozing　through　the　bags　in　which　it

is　contained。　　According　to　a　recent　statement　the　Germans　are

said　to　be　utilising　an　inert　or　non…inflammable　gas；　equal　in

lifting　power　to　hydrogen；　for　the　inflation　of　military　craft；

but　scientific　thought　does　not　entertain　this　statement　with　any

degree　of　seriousness。　　No　gas　as　light　as　hydrogen　and

non…explosive　is　known　to　commerce。



Will　Germany　invade　Great　Britain　by　air？　　This　is　the　absorbing

topic　of　the　momentone　which　has　created　intense　interest　and　a

certain　feeling　of　alarm　among　the　timorous。　　Although　sporadic

raids　are　considered　to　be　possible　and　likely　to　be　carried　out

with　a　varying　measure　of　successsuch　as　that　made　upon　the

British　East　Coasteminent　authorities　ridicule　an　invasion　in

force。　　The　risk　would　be　enormous；　although　there　is　no　doubt

that　Germany；　which　has　always　maintained　that　an　invasion　of

this　character　will　be　made；　will　be　compelled　to　essay　such　a

task；　in　order　to　satisfy　public　opinion；　and　to　justify　official

statements。　　It　is　a　moot　point；　however；　whether　the　invaders

ever　will　succeed　in　making　good　their　escape；　unless　Nature

proves　exceptionally　kind。



The　situation　is　best　summed　up　in　the　unbiassed　report　of

General　George　P。　Scriven；　Chief　Signal　officer　of　the　United

States　Army　to　the　U。S。　Secretary　of　War。　　In　this　report；　which

deals　exhaustively　with　the　history；　construction　and

achievements　of　airships；　such　an　invasion　is　described　as

fantastic　and　impracticable。　　Writing　on　November　10th；　1914；

the　officer　declares　that　〃he　is　not　prepared　to　recommend　the

American　Army　to　take　up　seriously　the　question　of

constructing　dirigibles；　as　they　are　not　worth　their　cost　as

offensive　machines；　while　for　reconnaissance　or　defence　they　are

of　far　less　value　than　aeroplanes。〃　　In　his　words；　〃Dirigibles

are　seemingly　useless　in　defence　against　the　aeroplane　or

gun…fire。〃



In　order　to　be　able　to　make　an　invasion　in　force　upon　Great

Britain's　cities　extremely　favourable　weather　must　prevail；　and

the　treacherous　nature　of　the　weather　conditions　of　the　North　Sea

are　known　fully　well　both　to　British　and　Teuton　navigators。　

Seeing　that　the　majority　of　the　Zeppelin　pilots　are　drawn　from

the　Navy　and　mercantile　marine；　and　thus　are　conversant　with　the

peculiarities　and　characteristics　of　this　stretch　of　salt　water；

it　is　only　logical　to　suppose　that　their　knowledge　will　exert　a

powerful　influence　in　any　such　decision；　the　recommendations

of　the　meteorological　savants　not　withstanding。



When　the　Zeppelin　pride　of　the　German　Navy　〃L…1〃　was　hurled　to

destruction　by　a　typical　North　Sea　squall；　Captain　Blew　of　the

Victoria　Luise；　a　Zeppelin　with　many　great　achievements　to　her

credit；　whose　navigator　was　formerly　in　the　Navy；　and　thus　is

familiar　with　the　whole　issue；　explained　that　this　atmospheric

liveliness　of　the　North　Sea　prevails　for　the　most　part　in　the

latitude　of　Norway；　but　that　it　frequently　extends　as　far　south

as　the　gate　of　the　Channel。　　He　related　furthermore　that　the　rain

squalls　are　of　tropical　violence；　while　the　vertical　thrusts　of

air　are　such　that　no　dirigible　as　yet　constructed　could　ever　hope

to　live　in　them。　　Under　such　conditions；　he　continued；　the　gas　is

certain　to　cool　intensely；　and　the　hull　must　then　become

waterlogged；　not　to　mention　the　downward　thrust　of　the　rain。　

Under　such　conditions　buoyancy　must　be　imperilled　to　such　a

degree　as　to　demand　the　jettisoning　of　every　piece　of　ballast；

fuel　and　other　removable　weight；　including　even　the　steadying　and

vertical　planes。　　When　this　has　been　done；　he　pointed　out；

nothing　is　left　with　which　to　combat　the　upward　vertical　thrusts

of　the　air。　　To　attempt　to　run　before　the　wind　is　to　court

positive　disaster；　as　the　wind　is　certain　to　gain　the　mastery。　

Once　the　airship　loses　steering　way　and　is　rendered

uncontrollableit　becomes　the　sport　of　the　forces　of　Nature；　with

the　result　that　destruction　is　merely　a　matter　of　minutes；　or

even　seconds。



Every　navigator　who　knows　the　North　Sea　will　support　these

conclusions。　　Squalls　and　blizzards　in　winter；　and　thunderstorms

in　summer；　rise　with　startling　suddenness　and　rage　with　terrific

destructive　fury。　　Such　conditions　must　react　against　the　attempt

of　an　aerial　invasion　in　force；　unless　it　be　made　in　the

character　of　the　last　throw　by　a　desperate　gambler；　with　good

fortune　favouring　the　dash　to　a　certain　degree。　　But　lesser　and

more　insignifica