aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第32章

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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　conceded　that

they　weigh　about　500　pounds；　which　is　two…thirds　of　the　weight　of

the　projectile　hurled　from　the　Krupp　128…centimetre　howitzer。

Such　a　missile　would　have　but　little　destructive　effect　if

dropped　from　a　height　of　1；000　feet。　　To　achieve　a　result

commensurate　with　that　of　the　28…centimetre　howitzer　the　airship

would　have　to　launch　the　missile　from　a　height　of　about　7；000

feet。　　To　take　aim　from　such　an　altitude　is　impossible；

especially　at　a　rapidly　moving　target　such　as　a　battle…cruiser。



The　fact　must　not　be　forgotten　that　Count　Zeppelin　himself　has

expressed　the　opinion；　the　result　of　careful　and　prolonged

experiments；　that　his　craft　is　practically　useless　at　a　height

exceeding　5；000　feet。　　Another　point　must　not　be　overlooked。　　In

a　spirited　naval　engagement　the　combatants　would　speedily　be

obliterated　from　the　view　of　those　aloft　by　the　thick　pall　of

smokethe　combination　of　gun…fire　and　emission　from　the　furnaces

and　a　blind　attack　would　be　just　as　likely　to　damage　friend　as

foe。



Even　if　the　aircraft　ventured　to　descend　as　low　as　5；000　feet　it

would　be　faced　with　another　adverse　influence。　　The　discharge　of

the　heavy　battleship　guns　would　bring　about　such　an　agitation　of

the　air　above　as　to　imperil　the　delicate　equilibrium　of　an

airship。　　Nor　must　one　overlook　the　circumstance　that　in　such　an

engagement　the　Zeppelins　would　become　the　prey　of　hostile

aeroplanes。　　The　latter；　being　swifter　and　nimbler；　would　harry

the　cumbersome　and　slow…moving　dirigible　in　the　manner　of　a　dog

baiting　a　bear　to　such　a　degree　that　the　dirigible　would　be

compelled　to　sheer　off　to　secure　ts　own　safety。　　Desperate

bravery　and　grim　determination　may　be　magnificent　physical

attributes；　ut　they　would　have　to　be　superhuman　to　face　the

stinging　recurrent　attacks　of　mosquito…aeroplanes。



The　limitations　of　the　Zeppelin；　and　in　fact　of　all　dirigible

aircraft；　were　emphasised　upon　the　occasion　of　the　British　aerial

raid　upon　Cuxhaven。　　Two　Zeppelins　bravely　put　out　to　overwhelm

the　cruisers　and　torpedo　boats　which　accompanied　and　supported

the　British　sea…planes；　but　when　confronted　with　well…placed

firing　from　the　guns　of　the　vessels　below　they　quickly　decided

that　discretion　was　the　better　part　of　valour　and　drew　off。　　In

naval　operations　the　aeroplane　is　a　far　more　formidable　foe；

although　here　again　there　are　many　limitations。　　The　first　and

most　serious　is　the　severely　limited　radius　of　action。　　The

aeroplane　motor　is　a　hungry　engine；　while　the　fuel　capacity　of

the　tank　is　restricted。　　The　German　military　authorities　speedily

realised　the　significance　of　this　factor　and　its　bearing　upon

useful　operations；　and　forth　　with　carried　out　elaborate

endurance　tests。　　In　　numerable　flights　were　made　with　the

express　purpose　of　determining　how　long　a　machine　could　remain　in

the　air　upon　a　single　fuel　supply。



The　results　of　these　flights　were　collated　and　the　achievements

of　each　machine　in　this　direction　carefully　analysed；　a　mean

average　drawn　up；　and　then　pigeon…holed。　　The　results　were　kept

secret；　only　the　more　sensational　records　being　published　to　the

world。　　As　the　policy　of　standardisation　in　the　construction　of

aeroplanes　was　adopted　the　radius　of　action　of　each　type　became

established。　　It　is　true　that　variations　of　this　factor　even

among　vessels　exactly　similar　in　every　respect　are　inevitable；

but　it　was　possible　to　establish　a　reliable　mean　average　for

general　guidance。



The　archives　of　the　Berlin　military　department　are　crowded　with

facts　and　figures　relating　to　this　particular　essential；　so　that

the　radius　of　action；　that　is　the　mileage　upon　a　single　fuel

charge；　of　any　class　and　type　of　machine　may　be　ascertained　in　a

moment。　　The　consequence　is　that　the　military　authorities　are

able　to　decide　the　type　of　aeroplane　which　is　best　suited　to　a

certain　projected　task。　　According　to　the　dossier　in　the

pigeon…hole；　wherein　the　results　of　the　type　are　filed；　the

aeroplane　will　be　able　to　go　so　far；　and　upon　arriving　at　that

point　will　be　able　to　accomplish　so　much　work；　and　then　be　able

to　return　home。　　Consequently　it　is　dispatched　upon　the　especial

duty　without　any　feeling　of　uncertainty。



Unfortunately；　these　experimental　processes　were　too　methodical

to　prove　reliable。　　The　endurance　data　were　prepared　from　tests

carried　out　in　the　aerodrome　and　from　cross…country　trials

accomplished　under　ideal　or　fair…weather　conditions。　　The　result

is　that　calculations　have　been　often　upset　somewhat　rudely　by

weather　conditions　of　a　totally　unexpected　character；　which　bring

home　vividly　the　striking　difference　between　theory　and　practice。



The　British　and　French　aviation　authorities　have　not　adopted　such

methodical　standardisation　or　rule　of　thumb　inferences；　but

rather　have　fostered　individual　enterprise　and　initiative。　　This

stimulation　of　research　has　been　responsible　for　the　creation　of

a　type　of　aeroplane　specially　adapted　to　naval　service；　and

generically　known　as　the　water　plane；　the　outstanding　point　of

difference　from　the　aeroplane　being　the　substitution　of　canoes　or

floats　for　the　wheeled　chassis　peculiar　to　the　land　machine。　　The

flier　is　sturdily　built；　while　the　floats　are　suf　ficiently

substantial　to　support　the　craft　upon　the　water　in　calm　weather。

Perhaps　it　was　the　insular　situation　of　the　British　nation　which

was　responsible　for　this　trend　of　development；　because　so　far　as

Britain　is　concerned　the　sea…going　aeroplane　is　in　dispensable。　　

But　the　salient　fact　remains　that　to…day　the　waterplane　service

of　Great　Britain　is　the　most　efficient　in　the　world；　the　craft

being　speedy；　designed　and　built　to　meet　the　rough　weather

conditions　which　are　experienced　around　these　islands；　and　ideal

vessels　for　patrol　and　raiding　duties。



So　far　as　the　British　practice　is　concerned　the　waterplane　is

designed　to　operate　in　conjunction　with；　and　not　apart　from；　the

Navy。　　It　has　been　made　the　eyes　of　the　Navy　in　the　strictest

interpretation　of　the　term。　　In　any　such　combination　the　great

difficulty　is　the　establishment　of　what　may　be　termed　a　mobile

base；　inasmuch　as　the　waterplane　must　move　with　the　fleet。　　This

end　has　been　achieved　by　the　evolution　of　a　means　of　carrying　a

waterplane　upon；　and　launching　it　from；　a　battleship；　if

necessary。



For　this　purpose　a　docking　cradle　or　way　has　been　provided　aft

where　the　aeroplane　may　be　housed　until　the　moment　arrives　for

its　employment。　　Several　vessels　have　been　devoted　to　this

nursing　duty　and　are　known　as　parent　ships　to　the　waterplane

service。　　All　that　is　requisite　when　the　time　arrives　for　the

use　of　the　seaplane　is　to　lift　it　bodily　by　derrick　or　crane

from　its　cradle　and　to　lower　it　upon　the　water。　　It　will　be

remembered　that　the　American　naval　authorities　made　an

experiment　with　a　scheme　for　directly　launching　the　warplane

from　the　deck　of　a　battleship　in　the　orthodox；　as　well　as

offering　it　a　spot　upon　which　to　alight　upon　returning　from　a

flight；　while　Wing…Commander　Samson；　R。N。；　D。S。O。；　the　famous

British　airman；　repeated　the　experiment　by　flying　from　a

similar　launching　way　installed　upon　H。M。S。　Hibernia。　　But

this　practice　has　many　shortcomings。　　So　far　as　the　British

and　French　navies　are　concerned；　the　former　process　is

preferred。　　Again；　when　the　waterplane　returns　from　a　flight

it　is　admitted　that　it　is　simpler；　quicker；　and　safer　for　it

to　settle　upon　the　water　near　the　parent　ship　and　to　be　lifted

on　board。



As　a　sea…scout　the　waterplane　is　overwhelmingly　superior　to

the　dirigible　as　events　have　conclusively　proved。　　Its

greater　mobility　and　speed　stand　it　in　excellent　stead

because　it　is　able　to　cover　a　larger　area　within　a　shorter

space　of　time　than　its　huge　and　unwieldy　contemporary。

Furthermore；　it　is　a　difficult　target　to　hit　and　accordingly

is　not　so　likely　to　be　brought　down　by　hostile　fire。　　There

is　anoth