aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第39章

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unsuspicious　airship；　advancing　under　cover　of　darkness　or　thick

weather；　might　foul　one　of　the　wires；　and；　driving　forward；　would

tend　to　pull　one　or　more　mines　against　itself。　　Under　the　force

of　the　impact；　no　matter　how　gentle；　or　slight；　one　or　more　of

the　detonating　levers　would　be　moved；　causing　the　mine　to

explode；　thus　bursting　the　lifting　bag　of　the　vessel；　and　firing

its　gaseous　contents。　　An　alternative　method；　especially　when　a

cable　carried　only　a　single　mine；　would　be　to　wind　in　the　captive

balloon　directly　the　wire　was　fouled　by　an　invading　aerial　craft；

the　process　being　continued　until　the　mine　was　brought　against

the　vessel　and　thereby　detonated。



Another　proposed　mining　method　differs　materially　in　its

application。　　In　this　instance　it　is　suggested　that　the　mines

should　be　sent　aloft；　but　should　not　be　of　the　contact　type；　and

should　not　be　fired　by　impact　detonators；　but　that　dependence

should　be　placed　rather　upon　the　disturbing　forces　of　a　severe

concussion　in　the　air。　　The　mines　would　be　floating　aoft；　and

the　advance　of　the　airship　would　be　detected。　　The　elevation

of　the　mines　in　the　vicinity　of　the　invading　craft　would　be

known；　while　the　altitude　of　the　airship　in　relation　thereto

could　be　calculated。　　Then；　it　is　proposed　that　a　mine　within　d

certain　radius　of　the　approaching　craft；　and；　of　course；　below

it；　should　be　fired　electrically　from　the　ground。　　It　is

maintained　that　if　the　charge　were　sufficiently　heavy　and　an

adequate　sheet　of　flame　were　produced　as　a　result　of　the

ignition；　an　airship　within　a　hundred　yards　thereof　would　be

imperilled　seriously；　while　the　other　mines　would　also　be　fired；

communicating　ignition　from　one　to　the　other。　　The　equilibrium

of　the　airship　is　so　delicate　that　it　can　be　readily　upset；　and

taking　into　account　the　facts　that　gas　is　always　exuding　from

the　bag；　and　that　hydrogen　has　a　tendency　to　spread　somewhat　in

the　manner　of　oil　upon　water；　it　is　argued　that　the　gas　would　be

ignited；　and　would　bring　about　the　explosion　of　the　airship。



Another　method　has　even　been　advocated。　　It　is　averred　in

authoritative　circles　that　when　the　aerial　invasion　in　force　of

Great　Britain　is　attempted；　the　Zeppelins　will　advance　under　the

cover　of　clouds。　　Also　that　the　craft　will　make　for　one　

objectiveLondon。　　Doubtless　advantage　will　be　taken　of　clouds；

inasmuch　as　they　will　extend　a　measure　of　protection　to　the　craft；

and　will　probably　enable　the　invading　fleet　to　elude　the　vigilance

of　the　aeroplane　scouts　and　patrols。　　Under　these　circumstances　it

is　suggested　that　balloon…mines　should　be　sent　aloft　and　be

concealed　in　the　clouds。　　It　would　be　impossible　to　detect　the

wires　holding　them　captive；　so　that　the　precise　location　of　the　

lurking　danger　would　not　be　divined　by　the　invader。　　Of　course；

the　chances　are　that　the　invading　airship　would　unconsciously

miss　the　mines；　on　the　other　hand　the　possibilities　are　equally

great　that　it　would　blunder　into　one　of　these　traps　and　be　blown

to　atoms。



An　English　airman　has　recently　suggested　a　means　of　mining

invading　Zeppelins　which　differs　completely　from　the　foregoing

proposals。　　His　idea　is　that　aeroplanes　should　be　equipped　with

small　mines　of　the　contact　type；　charged　with　high　explosives；

and　that　the　latter　should　be　lowered　from　the　aeroplane　and　be

trawled　through　the　atmosphere。　　As　an　illustration　I　will　suppose

that　a　hostile　aircraft　is　sighted　by　a　patrolling　aeroplane。

The　pilot's　companion　in　the　latter　immediately　prepares　his

aerial　mine；　fixing　the　detonator；　and　attaching　the　mine　to　the

wire。　　The　latter　is　then　dropped　overboard；　the　wire　being　paid

out　from　a　winch　until　it　has　descended　to　the　level　of　the

hostile　craft。　　The　airman　now　manoeuvres　in　the　air　circling

about　the　airship；　dragging　his　mine　behind　him；　and　endeavouring

to　throw　it　across　or　to　bring　it　into　contact　with　the　airship

below。　　Naturally　the　latter；　directly　it　observed　the　airman's

object；　would　endeavour　to　elude　the　pursuing　trawling　mine；

either　by　crowding　on　speed　or　by　rising　to　a　greater　altitude。

The　aeroplane；　however；　would　have　the　advantage　both　in　point　of

speed　　and　powers　of　climbing；　while　there　is　no　doubt　that　the

sight　of　the　mine　swinging　in　the　air　would　exert　a　decisive

moral　effect　upon　those　in　the　airship。



Attempts　to　render　the　mine　harmless　by　discharging　it

prematurely　with　the　aid　of　rifle　and　machine…gun　fire　would；　of

course；　be　made　by　the　crew　of　the　airship；　but　the　trawling　mine

would　prove　a　very　difficult　target　to　strike。　　If　such　a　missile

were　used　against　an　airship　of　the　proportions　of　a　Zeppelin　the

mine　would　inevitably　be　trawled　across　the　vessel　sooner　or

later。　　Once　the　airship　had　been　fouled；　the　aviator　would

merely　have　to　drive　ahead；　dragging　the　wire　and　its　charge　

across　the　gas…bag　until　at　last　one　of　the　contact　levers　of　the

mine　was　moved　by　being　dragged　against　some　part　of　the　vessel；

when　the　mine　would　be　exploded。　　In　such　operations　the　aviator

would　run　a　certain　risk；　as　he　would　be　more　or　less　above　the

airship；　and　to　a　certain　degree　within　the　zone　of　the　ultimate

explosion。　　But　there　is　no　doubt　that　he　would　succeed　in　his　

〃fishing〃　exploit　within　a　very　short　time。



This　ingenious　scheme　has　already　been　tested　upon　a　small　scale

and　has　been　found　effective；　the　trawling　bomb　being　drawn

across　its　target　and　fired　by　contact　within　a　few　minutes。　　The

experiment　seems　to　prove　that　it　would　be　simpler　and　more

effectual　to　attack　a　hostile　aircraft　such　as　a　Zeppelin　in　this

manner　than　to　drop　free　bombs　at　random。　　Moreover；　we　cannot

doubt　that　the　sight　of　a　mine　containing　even　ten　or　twelve

pounds　of　high　explosive　dangling　at　the　end　of　a　wire　would

precipitate　a　retreat　on　the　part　of　an　airship　more　speedily

than　any　other　combative　expedient。



The　advocate　of　this　mine…trawling　method；　who　is　a　well…known

aviator；　anticipates　no　difficulty　in　manoeuvring　a　mine　weighing

30　pounds　at　the　end　of　300　feet　of　fine　wire。　　Success　depends

in　a　great　measure　on　the　skill　of　the　aviator　in　maintaining　a

constant　tension　upon　the　line　until　it　falls　across　its

objective。



The　process　calls　for　a　certain　manifestation　of　skill　in

manoeuvring　the　aeroplane　in　relation　to　the　airship；　judgment　of

distance；　and　ability　to　operate　the　aeroplane　speedily。　　The

rapid　ascensional　capability　of　the　airship；　as　compared　with

that　of　the　aeroplane；　is　a　disadvantage；　but　on　the　other　hand；

the　superior　mobility　and　speed　of　the　aeroplane　would　tell

decisively　for　success。



Among　the　many　wonders　which　the　Krupp　organisation　is　stated　to

have　perfected；　and　which　it　is　claimed　will　create　considerable

surprise；　is　the　aerial　torpedo。　　Many　of　the　Krupp　claims　are

wildly　chimerical；　as　events　have　already　proved；　but　there　is　no

doubt　that　considerable　effort　has　been　expended　upon　this　latest

missile；　for　which　the　firm　is　said　to　have　paid　the　inventor

upwards　of　L25；000125；000。　　Curiously　enough　the　projectile

was　perfected　within　gunshot　of　the　British　aerodrome　of　Hendon

and　is　stated　to　have　been　offered　to　the　British　Government　at

the　time；　and　to　have　met　with　a　chilling　reception。　　One　fact；

however；　is　well　established。　　The　inventor　went　to　Germany；　and

submitted　his　idea　to　Krupp；　by　whom　it　was　tested　without　delay。　

Upon　the　completion　of　the　purchase；　the　great　armament

manufacturers　did　not　fail　to　publish　broadcast　the　fact　that

they　had　acquired　a　mysterious　new　terror　of　the　skies。　　That　was

some　three　years　ago；　and　in　the　interval　the　cleverest　brains　of

the　German　firm　have　been　steadily　devoting　their　time　and

energies　to　the　improvement　of　the　missile；　the　first　appearance

of　which　was　recorded；　in　a　somewhat　hazy　manner；　in　the　closing

days　of　December。



While　the　exact　mechanism　of　this　missile　is　a　secret；　the

governing　principles　of