aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



easiest　and　most　straightforward　part　of　the　whole　undertaking。　

There　were　other　and　more　serious　problems　to　be　solved。　　How

would　such　a　monster　craft　come　to　earth？　　How　could　she　be

manipulated　upon　the　ground？　　How　could　she　be　docked？　　Upon

these　three　points　previous　experience　was　silent。　　One　German

inventor　who　likewise　had　dreamed　big　things；　and　had　carried

them　into　execution；　paid　for　his　temerity　and　ambitions　with　his

life；　while　his　craft　was　reduced　to　a　mass　of　twisted　and　torn

metal。　　Under　these　circumstances　Count　Zeppelin　decided　to　carry

out　his　flights　over　the　waters　of　the　Bodensee　and　to　house　his

craft　within　a　floating　dock。　　In　this　manner　two　uncertain

factors　might　be　effectively　subjugated。



Another　problem　had　been　ingeniously　overcome。　　The　outer

envelope　presented　an　immense　surface　to　the　atmosphere；　while

temperature　was　certain　to　play　an　uncertain　part　in　the

behaviour　of　the　craft。　　The　question　was　to　reduce　to　the

minimum　the　radiation　of　heat　and　cold　to　the　bags　containing　the

gas。　　This　end　was　achieved　by　leaving　a　slight　air　space　between

the　inflated　gas　balloons　and　the　inner　surface　of　the　hull。



The　first　ascent　was　made　on　July　2nd；　1900；　but　was

disappointing；　several　breakdowns　of　the　mechanism　occurring

while　the　vessel　was　in　mid…air；　which　rendered　it　unmanageable；

although　a　short　flight　was　made　which　sufficed　to　show　that　an

independent　speed　of　13　feet　per　second　could　be　attained。　　The

vessel　descended　and　was　made　fast　in　her　dock；　the　descent　being

effected　safely；　while　manoeuvring　into　dock　was　successful。　　At

least　three　points　about　which　the　inventor　had　been　in　doubt

appeared　to　be　solvedhis　airship　could　be　driven　through　the　air

and　could　be　steered；　it　could　be　brought　to　earth　safely；　and　it

could　be　docked。



The　repairs　to　the　mechanism　were　carried　out　and　on　October　17th

and　21st　of　the　same　year　further　flights　were　made。　　By　this

time　certain　influential　Teuton　aeronautical　experts　who　had

previously　ridiculed　Zeppelin's　idea　had　made　a　perfect

volte…face。　　They　became　staunch　admirers　of　the　system；　while

other　meteorological　savants　participated　in　the　trials　for　the

express　purpose　of　ascertaining　just　what　the　ship　could　do。　　As

a　result　of　elaborate　trigonometrical　calculations　it　was

ascertained　that　the　airship　attained　an　independent　speed

of　30　feet　per　second；　which　exceeded　anything　previously

achieved。　　The　craft　proved　to　be　perfectly　manageable　in　the

air；　and　answered　her　helm；　thus　complying　with　the　terms　of

dirigibility。　　The　creator　was　flushed　with　his　triumph；　but　at

the　same　time　was　doomed　to　experience　misfortune。　　In　its

descent　the　airship　came　to　〃earth〃　with　such　a　shock　that　it　was

extensively　damaged。　　The　cost　of　repairing　the　vessel　was　so

heavy　that　the　company　declined　to　shoulder　the　liability；　and　as

the　Count　was　unable　to　defray　the　expense　the　wreck　was

abandoned。



Although　a　certain　meed　of　success　had　been　achieved　the　outlook

seemed　very　black　for　the　inventor。　　No　one　had　any　faith　in　his

idea。　　He　made　imploring　appeals　for　further　money；　embarked　upon

lecturing　campaigns；　wrote　aviation　articles　for　the　Press；　and

canvassed　possible　supporters　in　the　effort　to　raise　funds　for

his　next　enterprise。　　Two　years　passed；　but　the　fruits　of　the

propaganda　were　meagre。　　It　was　at　this　juncture；　when　everything

appeared　to　be　impossible；　that　Count　Zeppelin　discovered　his

greatest　friend。　　The　German　Emperor；　with　an　eye　ever　fixed　upon

new　developments；　had　followed　Zeppelin's　uphill　struggle；　and　at

last；　in　1902；　came　to　his　aid　by　writing　a　letter　which　ran：



〃Since　your　varied　flights　have　been　reported　to　me　it　is　a　great

pleasure　to　me　to　express　my　acknowledgment　of　your　patience　and

your　labours；　and　the　endurance　with　which　you　have　pressed　on

through　manifold　hindrances　till　success　was　near。　　The

advantages　of　your　system　have　given　your　ship　the　greatest

attainable　speed　and　dirigibility；　and　the　important　results　you

have　obtained　have　produced　an　epoch…making　step　forward　in　the

construction　of　airships　and　leave　laid　down　a　valuable　basis　for

future　experiments。〃



This　Imperial　appreciation　of　what　had　been　accomplished　proved

to　be　the　turning　point　in　the　inventor's　fortunes。　　It

stimulated　financial　support；　and　the　second　airship　was　taken　in

hand。　　But　misfortune　still　pursued　him。　　Accidents　were　of

almost　daily　occurrence。　　Defects　were　revealed　here　and

weaknesses　somewhere　else。　　So　soon　as　one　trouble　was　overcome

another　made　itself　manifest。　　The　result　was　that　the　whole　of

the　money　collected　by　his　hard　work　was　expended　before　the　ship

could　take　to　the　air。　　A　further　crash　and　blasting　of　cherished

hopes　appeared　imminent；　but　at　this　moment　another　Royal

personage　came　to　the　inventor's　aid。



The　King　of　Wurtemberg　took　a　personal　interest　in　his　subject's

uphill　struggle；　and　the　Wurtemberg　Government　granted　him　the

proceeds　of　a　lottery。　　With　this　money；　and　with　what　he

succeeded　in　raising　by　hook　and　by　crook；　and　by　mortgaging

his　remaining　property；　a　round　L20；000　was　obtained。　　With　this

capital　a　third　ship　was　taken　in　hand；　and　in　1905　it　was

launched。　　It　was　a　distinct　improvement　upon　its　predecessors。　

The　airship　was　414　feet　in　length　by　38　feet　in　diameter；　was

equipped　with　17　gas　balloons　having　an　aggregate　capacity　of

367；000　cubic　feet　of　hydrogen；　was　equipped　with　two　85

horse…power　motors　driving　four　propellers；　and　displaced　9　tons。　

All　the　imperfections　incidental　to　the　previous　craft　had　been

eliminated；　while　the　ship　followed　improved　lines　in　its

mechanical　and　structural　details。



The　trials　with　this　vessel　commenced　on　November　30th；　1905；　but

ill…luck　had　not　been　eluded。　　The　airship　was　moored　upon　a　raft

which　was　to　be　towed　out　into　the　lake　to　enable　the　dirigible

to　ascend。　　But　something　went　wrong　with　the　arrangements。　　A

strong　wind　caught　the　ungainly　airship；　she　dipped　her　nose　into

the　water；　and　as　the　motor　was　set　going　she　was　driven　deeper

into　the　lake；　the　vessel　only　being　saved　by　hurried　deflation。



Six　weeks　were　occupied　in　repairs；　but　another　ascent　was　made

on　January　17th；　1906。　　The　trials　were　fairly　satisfactory；　but

inconclusive。　　One　of　the　motors　went　wrong；　and　the　longitudinal

stability　was　found　to　be　indifferent。　　The　vessel　was　brought

down；　and　was　to　be　anchored；　but　the　Fates　ruled　otherwise。　　A

strong　wind　caught　her　during　the　night　and　she　was　speedily

reduced　to　indistinguishable　scrap。



Despite　catastrophe　the　inventor　wrestled　gamely　with　his

project。　　The　lessons　taught　by　one　disaster　were　taken　to　heart；

and　arrangements　to　prevent　the　recurrence　thereof　incorporated

in　the　succeeding　craft。　　Unfortunately；　however；　as　soon　as

one　defect　was　remedied　another　asserted　itself。　　It　was　this

persistent　revelation　of　the　unexpected　which　caused　another

period　of　indifference　towards　his　invention。　　Probably　nothing

more　would　have　been　heard　of　the　Zeppelin　after　this　last

accident　had　it　not　been　for　the　intervention　of　the　Prussian

Government　at　the　direct　instigation　of　the　Kaiser；　who　had　now

taken　Count　Zeppelin　under　his　wing。　　A　State　lottery　was

inaugurated；　the　proceeds　of　which　were　handed　over　to　the

indefatigable　inventor；　together　with　an　assurance　that　if　he

could　keep　aloft　24　hours　without　coming　to　earth　in　the

meantime；　and　could　cover　450　miles　within　this　period；　the

Government　would　repay　the　whole　of　the　money　he　had　lavished

upon　his　idea；　and　liquidate　all　the　debts　he　had　incurred

in　connection　therewith。



Another　craft　was　built；　larger　than　its　predecessors；　and

equipped　with　two　motors　developing　170　horse…power。　　Upon

completion　it　was　submitted　to　several　preliminary　flights；　which

were　so　eminently　successful　that　the　inventor　decided　to　make　a

tria