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value　as　a　military　unit　in　its　particular　field　of　operations。







CHAPTER　III

GERMANY'S　RISE　TO　MILITARY　AIRSHIP　SUPREMACY



Two　incidents　in　the　history　of　aviation　stand　out　with

exceptional　prominence。　　The　one　is　the　evolution　of　the　Zeppelin

airshipa　story　teeming　with　romance　and　affording　striking　and

illuminating　glimpses　of　dogged　perseverance；　grim　determination

in　the　face　of　repeated　disasters；　and　the　blind　courageous　faith

of　the　inventor　in　the　creation　of　his　own　brain。　　The　second　is

the　remarkable　growth　of　Germany's　military　airship　organisation；

which　has　been　so　rapid　and　complete　as　to　enable　her　to　assume

supremacy　in　this　field；　and　that　within　the　short　span　of　a

single　decade。



The　Zeppelin　has　always　aroused　the　world's　attention；　although

this　interest　has　fluctuated。　　Regarded　at　first　as　a　wonderful

achievement　of　genius；　afterwards　as　a　freak；　then　as　the　ready

butt　for　universal　ridicule；　and　finally　with　awe；　if　not　with

absolute　terrorsuch　in　brief　is　the　history　of　this　craft　of

the　air。



Count　von　Zeppelin　can　scarcely　be　regarded　as　an　ordinary　man。

He　took　up　the　subject　of　flight　at　an　age　which　the　majority　of

individuals　regard　as　the　opportune　moment　for　retirement　from

activity；　and；　knowing　nothing　about　mechanical　engineering；　he

concentrated　his　energies　upon　the　study　of　this　science　to

enable　him　to　master　the　difficulties　of　a　mechanical　character

incidental　to　the　realisation　of　his　grand　idea。　　His　energy　and

indomitable　perseverance　are　equalled　by　his　ardent　patriotism；

because；　although　the　Fatherland　discounted　his　idea　when　other

Powers　were　ready　to　consider　it；　and　indeed　made　him　tempting

offers　for　the　acquisition　of　his　handiwork；　he　stoutly　declined

all　such　solicitations；　declaring　that　his　invention；　if　such　it

may　be　termed；　was　for　his　own　country　and　none　other。



Count　von　Zeppelin　developed　his　line　of　study　and　thought　for

one　reason　only。　　As　an　old　campaigner　and　a　student　of　military

affairs　he　realised　the　shortcomings　of　the　existing　methods　of

scouting　and　reconnoitring。　　He　appreciated　more　than　any　other

man　of　the　day　perhaps；　that　if　the　commander…in…chief　of　an　army

were　provided　with　facilities　for　gazing　down　upon　the　scene　of

operations；　and　were　able　to　take　advantage　of　all　the

information　accruing　to　the　man　above　who　sees　all；　he　would　　

hold　a　superior　position；　and　be　able　to　dispose　his　forces　and

to　arrange　his　plan　of　campaign　to　the　most　decisive　advantage。　　

In　other　words；　Zeppelin　conceived　and　developed　his　airship　for

one　field　of　application　and　that　alone…military　operations。　　

Although　it　has　achieved　certain　successes　in　other　directions

these　have　been　subsidiary　to　the　primary　intention；　and　have

merely　served　to　emphasise　its　military　value。



Von　Zeppelin　was　handicapped　in　his　line　of　thought　and

investigation　from　the　very　first。　　He　dreamed　big　things　upon　a

big　scale。　　The　colossal　always　makes　a　peculiar　and　irresistible

appeal　to　the　Teutonic　nature。　　So　he　contemplated　the　perfection

of　a　big　dirigible；　eclipsing　in　every　respect　anything　ever

attempted　or　likely　to　be　attempted　by　rival　countries。

Unfortunately；　the　realisation　of　the　〃colossal〃　entails　an

equally　colossal　financial　reserve；　and　the　creator　of　this　form

of　airship　for　years　suffered　from　financial　cramp　in　its　worst

　manifestation。　　Probably　it　was　to　the　benefit　of　the　world　at

large　that　Fortune　played　him　such　sorry　tricks。　　It　retarded　the

growth　of　German　ambitions　in　one　direction　very　effectively。



As　is　well　known　Zeppelin　evolved　what　may　be　termed　an

individual　line　of　thought　in　connection　with　his　airship

activities。　　He　adopted　what　is　known　as　the　indeformable

airship：　that　is　to　say　the　rigid；　as　opposed　to　the　semi…rigid

and　flexible　craft。　　As　a　result　of　patient　experiment　and

continued　researches　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　a　huge　outer

envelope　taking　the　form　of　a　polygonal　cylinder　with

hemispherical　ends；　constructed　upon　substantial　lines　with　a

metallic　skeleton　encased　within　an　impermeable　skin；　and　charged

with　a　number　of　smaller　balloon…shaped　vessels　containing　the

lifting　agenthydrogen　gaswould　fulfil　his　requirements　to　the

greatest　advantage。　　Model　after　model　was　built　upon　these

lines。　　Each　was　subjected　to　searching　tests　with　the　invariable

result　attending　such　work　with　models。　　Some　fulfilled　the

expectations　of　the　inventor；　others　resolutely　declined　to

illustrate　his　reasonings　in　any　direction。



The　inevitable　happened。　　When　a　promising　model　was　completed

finally　the　inventor　learned　to　his　sorrow　what　every　inventor

realises　in　time。　　His　fortune　and　the　resources　of　others　had

been　poured　down　the　sink　of　experiment。　　To　carry　the　idea　from

the　model　to　the　practical　stage　required　more　money；　and　it　was

not　forthcoming。　　The　inventor　sought　to　enlist　the　practical

sympathy　of　his　country；　only　to　learn　that　in　Germany；　as　in

other　lands；　the　axiom　concerning　the　prophet；　honour；　and

country　prevails。　　No　exuberant　inventor　received　such　a　cold

douche　from　a　Government　as　did　Count　Zeppelin　from　the　Prussian

authorities。　　For　two　years　further　work　was　brought　practically

to　a　standstill：　nothing　could　be　done　unless　the　sinews　of　war

were　forthcoming。　　His　friends；　who　had　assisted　him　financially

with　his　models；　now　concluded　that　their　aid　had　been　misplaced。



The　inventor；　though　disappointed；　was　by　no　means　cast　down。　　He

clung　tenaciously　to　his　pet　scheme　and　to　such　effect　that　in

1896　a　German　Engineering　Society　advanced　him　some　funds　to

continue　his　researches。　　This　support　sufficed　to　keep　things

going　for　another　two　years；　during　which　time　a　full…sized

vessel　was　built。　　The　grand　idea　began　to　crystallise　rapidly；

with　the　result　that　when　a　public　company　was　formed　in　1898；

sufficient　funds　were　rendered　available　to　enable　the　first

craft　to　be　constructed。　　It　aroused　considerable　attention；　as

well　it　might；　seeing　that　it　eclipsed　anything　which　had

previously　been　attempted　in　connection　with　dirigibles。　　It　was

no　less　than　420　feet　in　length；　by　38　feet　in　diameter；　and　was

fitted　with　two　cars；　each　of　which　carried　a　sixteen　horse…power

motor　driving　independent　propellers　rigidly　attached　to　the　body

of　the　vessel。　　The　propellers　were　both　vertical　and　horizontal；

for　the　purpose　of　driving　the　ship　in　the　two　planesvertical

and　horizontal　respectively。



The　vessel　was　of　great　scientific　interest；　owing　to　the

ingenuity　of　its　design　and　construction。　　The　metallic　skeleton

was　built　up　from　aluminium　and　over　this　was　stretched　the

fabric　of　the　envelope；　care　being　observed　to　reduce　skin

friction；　as　well　as　to　achieve　impermeability。　　But　it　was　the

internal　arrangement　of　the　gas…lifting　balloons　which　provoked

the　greatest　concern。　　The　hull　was　divided　into　compartments；

each　complete　in　itself；　and　each　containing　a　small　balloon

inflated　with　hydrogen。　　It　was　sub…division　as　practised　in

connection　with　vessels　ploughing　the　water　applied　to　aerial

craft；　the　purpose　being　somewhat　the　same。　　As　a　ship　of　the

seas　will　keep　afloat　so　long　as　a　certain　number　of　its

subdivisions　remain　watertight；　so　would　the　Zeppelin　keep　aloft

if　a　certain　number　of　the　gas　compartments　retained　their

charges　of　hydrogen。　　There　were　no　fewer　than　seventeen　of　these

gas…balloons　arranged　in　a　single　line　within　the　envelope。　

Beneath　the　hull　and　extending　the　full　length　of　the　latter　was

a　passage　which　not　only　served　as　a　corridor　for　communication

between　the　cars；　but　also　to　receive　a　weight　attached　to　a

cable　worked　by　a　winch。　　By　the　movement　of　this　weight　the　bow

or　stem　of　the　vessel　could　be　tilted　to　assist　ascent　and

descent。



The　construction　of　the　vessel　subsequently　proved　to　be　the

easiest　and　most　straightforward　part　of　the　whole　unde