aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第43章

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But　an　attempt　to　descend　upon　the　open　sea　even　when　the　latter

is　as　calm　as　the　proverbial　mill…pond　is　fraught　with

considerable　danger。　　The　air…currents　immediately　above　the

water　differ　radically　from　those　prevailing　above　the　surface　of

the　land。　　Solar　radiation　also　plays　a　very　vital　part。　　In　fact

the　dirigible　dare　not　venture　to　make　such　a　landing　even　if　it

be　provided　with　floats。　　The　chances　are　a　thousand　to　one　that

the　cars　will　become　water…logged；　rendering　re…ascent　a　matter

of　extreme　difficulty；　if　not　absolutely　impossible。　　On　the

other　hand；　the　aeroplane　when　equipped　with　floats；　is　able　to

alight　upon　the　water；　and　to　rest　thereon　for　a　time。　　It　may

even　take　in　a　new　supply　of　fuel　if　the　elements　be　propitious；

and　may　be　able　to　re…ascend；　but　the　occasions　are　rare　when

such　operations　can　be　carried　out　successfully。



In　operations　over　water　the　airman　is　confronted　with　one

serious　dangerthe　risk　of　losing　his　bearings　and　his　way。　　For

instance；　many　attempts　have　been　made　to　cross　the　North　Sea　by

aeroplane；　but　only　one　has　proved　successful　so　far。　　The

intrepid　aviator　did　succeed　in　passing　from　the　shore　of　Britain

to　the　coast　of　Scandinavia。　　Many　people　suppose　that　because　an

airman　is　equipped　with　a　compass　he　must　be　able　to　find　his

way；　but　this　is　a　fallacy。　　The　aviator　is　in　the　same　plight　as

a　mariner　who　is　compelled　from　circumstances　to　rely　upon　his

compass　alone；　and　who　is　debarred　by　inclement　weather　from

deciding　his　precise　position　by　taking　the　sun。　　A　ship

ploughing　the　waters　has　to　contend　against　the　action　of　cross

currents；　the　speed　of　which　varies　considerably；　as　well　as

adverse　winds。　　Unless　absolute　correction　for　these　influences

can　be　made　the　ship　will　wander　considerably　from　its　course。　　

The　airman　is　placed　in　a　worse　position。　　He　has　no　means　of

determining　the　direction　and　velocity　of　the　currents　prevailing

in　the　atmosphere；　and　his　compass　cannot　give　him　any　help　in

this　connection；　because　it　merely　indicates　direction。



Unless　the　airman　has　some　means　of　determining　his　position；

such　as　landmarks；　he　fails　to　realise　the　fact　that　he　is

drifting；　or；　even　if　he　becomes　aware　of　this　fact；　it　is　by　no

means　a　simple　straightforward　matter　for　him　to　make　adequate

allowance　for　the　factor。　　Side…drift　is　the　aviator's　greatest

enemy。　　It　cannot　be　determined　with　any　degree　of　accuracy。　　If

the　compass　were　an　infallible　guide　the　airman　would　be　able　to

complete　a　given　journey　in　dense　fog　just　as　easily　as　in　clear

weather。　　It　is　the　action　of　the　cross　currents　and　the

unconscious　drift　which　render　movement　in　the　air　during　fog　as

impracticable　with　safety　as　manoeuvring　through　the　water　under

similar　conditions。　　More　than　one　bold　and　skilful　aviator　has

essayed　the　crossing　of　the　English　Channel　and；　being　overtaken

by　fog；　has　failed　to　make　the　opposite　coast。　　His　compass　has

given　him　the　proper　direction；　but　the　side…drift　has　proved　his

undoing；　with　the　result　that　he　has　missed　his　objective。



The　fickle　character　of　the　winds　over　the　water；　especially　over

such　expanses　as　the　North　Sea；　constitutes　another　and　seriously

adverse　factor。　　Storms；　squalls；　gales；　and；　in　winter；

blizzards；　spring　up　with　magical　suddenness；　and　are　so　severe

that　no　aircraft　could　hope　to　live　in　them。　　But　such

visitations　are　more　to　be　dreaded　by　the　lighter…than…air　than

by　the　heavier…than…air　machines。　　The　former　offers　a

considerable　area　of　resistance　to　the　tempest　and　is　caught　up

by　the　whirlwind　before　the　pilot　fully　grasps　the　significant

chance　of　the　natural　phenomenon。　　Once　a　dirigible　is　swept　out

of　the　hands　of　its　pilot　its　doom　is　sealed。



On　the　other　hand；　the　speed　attainable　by　the　aeroplane

constitutes　its　safety。　　It　can　run　before　the　wind；　and　meantime

can　climb　steadily　and　rapidly　to　a　higher　altitude；　until　at

last　it　enters　a　contrary　wind　or　even　a　tolerably　quiescent

atmosphere。　　Even　if　it　encounters　the　tempest　head　on　there　is

no　immediate　danger　if　the　aviator　keep　cool。　　This　fact　has　been

established　times　out　of　number　and　the　airman　has　been

sufficiently　skilful　and　quick…witted　to　succeed　in　frustrating

the　destructive　tactics　of　his　natural　enemy。



Only　a　short　while　ago　in　France；　British　airmen　who　went　aloft

in　a　gale　found　the　latter　too　strong　for　them。　　Although　the

machine　was　driven　full　speed　ahead　it　was　forced　backwards　at

the　rate　of　10　miles　per　hour　because　the　independent　speed　of

the　aeroplane　was　less　than　the　velocity　of　the　wind。　　But　a

dirigible　has　never　succeeded　in　weathering　a　gale；　its　bulk；

area；　and　weight；　combined　with　its　relatively　slow　movement；　are

against　it；　with　the　result　that　it　is　hurled　to　destruction。　　

All　things　considered；　the　dirigible　is　regarded　as　an

impracticable　acquisition　to　a　fleet；　except　in　the　eyes　of　the

Germans；　who　have　been　induced　to　place　implicit　reliance　upon

their　monsters。　　The　gullible　Teuton　public　confidently　believes

that　their　Dreadnoughts　of　the　air　will　complete　the　destruction

of　the　British　fleet；　but　responsible　persons　know　full　well　that

they　will　not　play　such　a　part；　but　must　be　reserved　for

scouting。　　Hitherto；　in　naval　operations；　mosquito　water…craft；

such　as　torpedo…boats；　have　been　employed　in　this　service。　　But

these　swift　vessels　suffer　from　one　serious　disability。　　The

range　of　vision　is　necessarily　limited；　and　a　slight　mist　hanging

over　the　water　blinds　them；　the　enemy　may　even　pass　within

half…a…mile　of　them　and　escape　detection。



The　Zeppelin　from　its　position　1；000　feet　or　more　above　the

water；　in　clear　weather；　has　a　tremendous　range　of　vision；　the

horizon　is　about　40　miles　distant；　as　compared　with　approximately

8　miles　in　the　case　of　the　torpedo…boat。　　of　course　an　object；

such　as　a　battleship；　may　be　detected　at　a　far　greater　range。　　

Consequently　the　German　naval　programme　is　to　send　the　Zeppelin　a

certain　distance　ahead　of　the　battleship　squadron。　　The　dirigible

from　its　coign　of　vantage　would　be　able　to　sight　a　hostile

squadron　if　it　were　within　visual　range　and　would　communicate　the

fact　to　the　commander　of　the　fleet　below。　　The　latter　would

decide　his　course　according　to　information　received；　thus　he

would　be　enabled　to　elude　his　enemy；　or；　if　the　tidings　received

from　the　aerial　scout　should　be　favourable；　to　dispose　his　vessels

in　the　most　favourable　array　for　attack。



The　German　code　of　naval　tactics　does　not　foreshadow　the　use　of

dirigible　aircraft　as　vessels　of　attack。　　Scouting　is　the　primary

and　indeed　the　only　useful　duty　of　the　dirigible；　although　it　is

quite　possible　that　the　aerial　craft　might　participate　in　a

subsequent　naval　engagement；　as；　indeed；　has　been　the　case。　　Its

participation；　however；　would　be　governed　entirely　by　climatic

conditions。　　The　fact　that　the　dirigible　is　a　weak　unit　of　attack

in　naval　operations　is　fully　appreciated　by　all　the　belligerents。



The　picture　of　a　sky　〃black　with　Zeppelins〃　may　appeal　to　the

popular　imagination；　and　may　induce　the　uninitiated　to　cherish

the　belief　that　such　an　array　would　strike　terror　into　the　hearts

of　the　foe；　but　the　naval　authorities　are　well　aware　that　no

material　advantage　would　accrue　from　such　a　force。　　In　the　first

place　they　would　constitute　an　ideal　target　for　the　enemy's

vessels。　　They　would　be　compelled　to　draw　within　range　in　order

to　render　their　own　attack　effective；　and　promiscuous　shooting

from　below　would　probably　achieve　the　desired　end。　　One　or　more

of　the　hostile　aircraft　would　be　hit　within　a　short　while。　　Such

disasters　would　undoubtedly　throw　the　aerial　fleet　into

confusion；　and　possibly　might　interfere　with　the　tactical

developments　of　its　own　friends　upon　the　water　below。



The　shells　hurled　from　the　Zeppelins　would　probably　inflict　but

little　damage　upon　the　warships　beneath。　　Let　it　be　c