aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第7章

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completion　it　was　submitted　to　several　preliminary　flights；　which

were　so　eminently　successful　that　the　inventor　decided　to　make　a

trial　trip　under　conditions　closely　analogous　to　those　imposed

for　the　Government　test。　　On　June　20th；　1908；　at　8：26　a。m。　　the

craft　ascended　and　remained　aloft　for　12　hours；　during　which　time

it　made　an　encouraging　circular　tour。　　Flushed　with　this　success；

the　Count　considered　that　the　official　award　was　within　reach；

and　that　all　his　previous　disasters　and　misfortunes　were　on　the

eve　of　redemption。



The　crucial　test　was　essayed　on　August　5th；　1908。　　Accompanied　by

twelve　observers　the　vessel　ascended　and　travelled　without

incident　for　eight　hours。　　Then　a　slight　mishap　demanded

attention；　but　was　speedily　repaired；　and　was　ignored　officially

as　being　too　trivial　to　influence　the　main　issue。　　Victory

appeared　within　measurable　distance：　the　arduous　toil　of　many

patient　years　was　about　to　be　rewarded。　　The　airship　was　within

sight　of　home　when　it　had　to　descend　owing　to　the　development　of

another　motor　fault。　　But　as　it　approached　the　ground；　Nature；　as

if　infuriated　at　the　conquest；　rose　up　in　rebellion。　　A　sudden

squall　struck　the　unwieldy　monster。　　Within　a　few　moments　it

became　unmanageable；　and　through　some　inscrutable　cause；　it

caught　fire；　with　the　result　that　within　a　few　moments　it　was

reduced　to　a　tangled　mass　of　metallic　framework。



It　was　a　catastrophe　that　would　have　completely　vanquished　many

an　inventor；　but　the　Count　was　saved　the　gall　of　defeat。　　His

flight；　which　was　remarkable；　inasmuch　as　he　had　covered　380

miles　within　24　hours；　including　two　unavoidable　descents；　struck

the　Teuton　imagination。　　The　seeds　so　carefully　planted　by　the

〃Most　High　of　Prussia〃　now　bore　fruit。　　The　German　nation

sympathised　with　the　indomitable　inventor；　appreciated　his

genius；　and　promptly　poured　forth　a　stream　of　subscriptions　to

enable　him　to　build　another　vessel。　　The　intimation　that　other

Powers　had　approached　the　Count　for　the　acquisition　of　his　idea

became　known　far　and　wide；　together　with　the　circumstance　that

he　had　unequivocally　refused　all　offers。　　He　was　striving　for　the

Fatherland；　and　his　unselfish　patriotism　appealed　to　one　and　all。

Such　an　attitude　deserved　hearty　national　appreciation；　and　the

members　of　the　great　German　public　emptied　their　pockets　to　such

a　degree　that　within　a　few　weeks　a　sum　of　L300；000　or　1；500；000

was　voluntarily　subscribed。



All　financial　embarrassments　and　distresses　were　now　completely

removed　from　the　Count's　mind。　　He　could　forge　ahead　untrammelled

by　anxiety　and　worry。　　Another　Zeppelin　was　built　and　it　created

a　world's　record。　　It　remained　aloft　for　38　hours；　during　which

time　it　covered　690　miles；　and；　although　it　came　to　grief　upon

alighting；　by　colliding　with　a　tree；　the　final　incident　passed

unnoticed。　　Germany　was　in　advance　of　the　world。　　It　had　an

airship　which　could　go　anywhere；　irrespective　of　climatic

conditions；　and　in　true　Teuton　perspective　the　craft　was　viewed

from　the　military　standpoint。　　Here　was　a　means　of　obtaining　the

mastery　of　the　air：　a　formidable　engine　of　invasion　and　aerial

attack　had　been　perfected。　　Consequently　the　Grand　Idea　must　be

supported　with　unbounded　enthusiasm。　　The　Count　was　hailed　by　his

august　master　as　〃The　greatest　German　of　the　twentieth　century；〃

and　in　this　appreciation　the　populace　wholeheartedly　concurred。

Whether　such　a　panegyric　from　such　an　auspicious　quarter　is　praise

indeed　or　the　equivalent　of　complete　condemnation；　history　alone

will　be　able　to　judge；　but　when　one　reflects；　at　this　moment；　upon

the　achievements　of　this　aircraft　during　the　present　conflagration；

the　unprejudiced　will　be　rather　inclined　to　hazard　the　opinion

that　Imperial　Teuton　praise　is　a　synonym　for　damnation。



Although　the　Zeppelin　was　accepted　as　a　perfect　machine　it　has

never　been　possible　to　disperse　the　atmosphere　of　disaster　with

which　it　has　been　enveloped　from　the　first。　　Vessel　after　vessel

has　gone　up　in　smoke　and　flame：　few　craft　of　this　type　have

enjoyed　more　than　an　evanescent　existence；　and　each　successive

catastrophe　has　proved　more　terrible　than　its　predecessor。　　But

the　Teutonic　nation　has　been　induced　to　pin　its　whole　faith　on

this　airship；　notwithstanding　that　the　more　levelheaded　engineers

of　other　countries　have　always　maintained　the　craft　to　be　a

〃mechanical　monstrosity〃　condemned　from　its　design　and　principles

of　construction　to　disaster。　　Unshaken　by　this　adverse　criticism；

Germany　rests　assured　that　by　means　of　its　Zeppelins　it　will

achieve　that　universal　supremacy　which　it　is　convinced　is　its

Destiny。



This　blind　child…like　faith　has　been　responsible　for　the

establishment　and　development　of　the　Zeppelin　factories。　　At

Friedrichshafen　the　facilities　are　adequate　to　produce　two　of

these　vessels　per　month；　while　another　factory　of　a　similar

capacity　has　been　established　at　Berlin。　　Unfortunately　such　big

craft　demand　large　docks　to　accommodate　them；　and　in　turn　a　large

structure　of　this　character　constitutes　an　easy　mark　for　hostile

attack；　as　the　raiding　airmen　of　the　Allies　have　proved　very

convincingly。



But　the　Zeppelin　must　not　be　under…rated。　　Magnificent

performances　have　been　recorded　by　these　vessels；　such　as　the

round　1；000　miles'　trip　in　1909；　and　several　other　equally

brilliant　feats　since　that　date。　　It　is　quite　true　that　each

astounding　achievement　has　been　attended　by　an　equally　stupendous

accident；　but　that　is　accepted　as　a　mere　incidental　detail　by　the

faithful　Teutonic　nation。　　Many　vivid　prophecies　of　the

forthcoming　flights　by　Zeppelin　have　been　uttered；　and　it　is

quite　probable　that　more　than　one　will　be　fulfilled；　but　success

will　be　attributable　rather　to　accident　than　design。



Although　the　Zeppelin　is　the　main　stake　of　the　German　people　in

matters　pertaining　to　aerial　conquest；　other　types　of　airships

have　not　been　ignored；　as　related　in　another　chapter。　　They　have

been　fostered　upon　a　smaller　but　equally　effective　scale。　　The

semi…rigid　Parseval　and　Gross　craft　have　met　with　whole…hearted

support；　since　they　have　established　their　value　as　vessels　of

the　air；　which　is　tantamount　to　the　acceptance　of　their　military

value。



The　Parseval　is　pronounced　by　experts　to　be　the　finest　expression

of　aeronautical　engineering　so　far　as　Teuton　effort　is　concerned。　

Certainly　it　has　placed　many　notable　flights　to　its　credit。　　The

Gross　airship　is　an　equally　serviceable　craft；　its　lines　of

design　and　construction　closely　following　those　of　the　early

French　supple　airships。　　There　are　several　other　craft　which　have

become　more　or　less　recognised　by　the　German　nation　as

substantial　units　of　war；　such　as　the　Ruthemberg；

Siemens…Schukert；　and　so　forth；　all　of　which　have　proved　their

serviceability　more　or　less　conclusively。　　But　in　the　somewhat

constricted　Teuton　mind　the　Zeppelin　and　the　Zeppelin　only

represents　the　ultima　Thule　of　aerial　navigation　and　the　means

for　asserting　the　universal　character　of　Pan…Germanism　as　well　as

〃Kultur。〃







CHAPTER　IV

AIRSHIPS　OF　WAR



So　much　has　been　said　and　written　concerning　the　Zeppelin

airship；　particularly　in　its　military　aspect；　that　all　other

developments　in　this　field　have　sunk　into　insignificance　so　far

as　the　general　public　is　concerned。　　The　Zeppelin　dirigible　has

come　to　be　generally　regarded　as　the　one　and　only　form　of

practical　lighter…than…air　type　of　aircraft。　　Moreover；　the　name

has　been　driven　home　with　such　effect　that　it　is　regarded　as　the

generic　term　for　all　German　airships。



These　are　grievous　fallacies。　　The　Zeppelin　is　merely　one　of　a

variety　of　types；　even　in　Germany；　although　at　the　moment　it

probably　ranks　as　the　solitary　survivor　of　the　rigid　system　of

construction。　　At　one　time；　owing　to　the　earnestness　with　which

the　advantages　of　this　form　of　design　were　discussed；　and　in　view

of　the　fact　that　the　Zeppelin　certainly