aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第2章

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establish　the　captive　balloon　as　a　military　unit。



The　British　military　ballooning　department　has　always　ranked　as

the　foremost　of　its　type　among　the　Powers；　although　its　work　has

been　carried　out　so　unostentatiously　that　the　outside　world　has

gleaned　very　little　information　concerning　its　operations。　　

Captain　Templer　was　an　indefatigable　worker　and　he　brought　the

ballooning　section　to　a　high　degree　of　efficiency　from　the

military　point　of　view。



But　the　British　Government　was　peculiarly　favoured；　if　such　a

term　may　be　used。　　Our　little　wars　in　various　parts　of　the　world

contributed　valuable　information　and　experience　which　was　fully

turned　to　account。　　Captive　balloons　for　reconnoitring　purposes

were　used　by　the　British　army　for　the　first　time　at　Suakim　in

1885；　and　the　section　established　its　value　very　convincingly。　　

The　French　military　balloon　department　gained　its　first

experience　in　this　field　in　the　previous　year；　a　balloon

detachment　having　been　dispatched　to　Tonkin　in　1884。　　In　both　the

Tonkin　and　Soudan　campaigns；　invaluable　work　was　accomplished　by

the　balloon　sections；　with　the　result　that　this　aerial　vehicle

has　come　to　be　regarded　as　an　indispensable　military　adjunct。　　

Indeed　the　activity　of　the　German　military　ballooning　section　was

directly　attributable　to　the　Anglo…French　achievements　therewith。



In　this　work；　however；　the　British　force　speedily　displayed　its

superiority　and　initiative。　　The　use　of　compressed　hydrogen　was

adopted；　and　within　the　course　of　a　few　years　the　other　Powers；

realising　the　advantages　which　the　British　department　had　thus

obtained；　decided　to　follow　its　example。　　The　gas　is　stored　in

cylinders　under　a　pressure　varying　from　six　to　ten　or　more

atmospheres；　in　other　words　from　about　80　to　140　or　more　pounds　

per　square　inch。　　Special　military　wagons　have　been　designed　for

the　transport　of　these　cylinders；　and　they　are　attached　to　the

balloon　train。



The　balloon　itself　is　light；　and　made　of　such　materials　as　to

reduce　the　weight　thereof　to　the　minimum。　　The　British　balloons

are　probably　the　smallest　used　by　any　of　the　Powers；　but　at　the

same　time　they　are　the　most　expensive。　　They　are　made　of

goldbeater's　skin；　and　range　in　capacity　from　7；000　to　10；000

cubic　feet；　the　majority　being　of　the　former　capacity。　　The

French　balloon　on　the　other　hand　has　a　capacity　exceeding　18；000

cubic　feet；　although　a　smaller　vessel　of　9；000　cubic　feet

capacity；　known　as　an　auxiliary；　and　carrying　a　single　observer；

is　used。



The　Germans；　on　the　other　hand；　with　their　Teutonic　love　of　the

immense；　favour　far　larger　vessels。　　At　the　same　time　the

military　balloon　section　of　the　German　Army　eclipses　that　of　any

other　nations　is　attached　to　the　Intelligence　Department；　and　is

under　the　direct　control　of　the　General　Staff。　　Balloon　stations　

are　dotted　all　over　thecountry；　including　Heligoland　and　Kiel；

while　regular　sections　are　attached　to　the　Navy　for　operating

captive　balloons　from　warships。　　Although　the　Zeppelin　and

aeroplane　forces　have　come　to　the　front　in　Germany；　and　have

relegated　the　captive　balloon　somewhat　to　the　limbo　of　things

that　were；　the　latter　section　has　never　been　disbanded；　in　fact；

during　the　present　campaign　it　has　undergone　a　somewhat　spirited

revival。



The　South　African　campaign　emphasised　the　value　of　the　British

balloon　section　of　the　Army；　and　revealed　services　to　which　it

was　specially　adapted；　but　which　had　previously　more　or　less　been

ignored。　　The　British　Army　possessed　indifferent　maps　of　the

Orange　Free　State　and　the　Transvaal。　　This　lamentable　deficiency

was　remedied　in　great　measure　by　recourse　to　topographical

photographs　taken　from　the　captive　balloons。　　The　guides　thus

obtained　were　found　to　be　of　extreme　value。



During　the　early　stages　of　the　war　the　hydrogen　was　shipped　in

cylinders　from　the　homeland；　but　subsequently　a　manufacturing

plant　of　such　capacity　as　to　meet　all　requirements　was

established　in　South　Africa。　　The　cylinders　were　charged　at

this　point　and　dispatched　to　the　scene　of　action；　so　that　it

became　unnecessary　to　transport　the　commodity　from　Britain。　　The

captive　balloon　revealed　the　impregnability　of　Spion　Kop；　enabled

Lord　Roberts　to　ascertain　the　position　of　the　Boer　guns　at　the

Battle　of　Paardeburg；　and　proved　of　invaluable　assistance　to　the

forces　of　General　White　during　the　siege　of　Ladysmith。







CHAPTER　II

THE　MILITARY　USES　of　THE　CAPTIVE　BALLOON



Although　the　captive　balloon　is　recognised　as　indispensable　in

military　operations；　its　uses　are　somewhat　limited。　　It　can　be

employed　only　in　comparatively　still　weather。　　The　reason　is

obvious。　　It　is　essential　that　the　balloon　should　assume　a

vertical　line　in　relation　to　its　winding　plant　upon　the　ground

beneath；　so　that　it　may　attain　the　maximum　elevation　possible：　in

other　words；　the　balloon　should　be　directly　above　the　station

below；　so　that　if　100　yards　of　cable　are　paid　out　the　aerostat

may　be　100　yards　above　the　ground。　　If　a　wind　is　blowing；　the

helpless　craft　is　certain　to　be　caught　thereby　and　driven

forwards　or　backwards；　so　that　it　assumes　an　angle　to　its

station。　　If　this　become　acute　the　vessel　will　be　tilted；

rendering　the　position　of　the　observers　somewhat　precarious；　and

at　the　same　time　observing　efficiency　will　be　impaired。



This　point　may　be　appreciated　more　easily　by　reference　to　the

accompanying　diagram。　　A　represents　the　ground　station　and　B

the　position　of　the　captive　balloon　when　sent　aloft　in　calm

weather；　300　feet　of　cable　being　paid　out。　　A　wind　arises　and

blows　the　vessel　forward　to　the　position　C。　　At　this　point　the

height　of　the　craft　in　relation　to　the　ground　has　been　reduced；

and　the　reduction　must　increase　proportionately　as　the　strength

of　the　wind　increases　and　forces　the　balloon　still　more　towards

the　ground。　　At　the　same　time；　owing　to　the　tilt　given　to　the

car；　observation　is　rendered　more　difficult　and　eventually

becomes　extremely　dangerous。



A　wind；　if　of　appreciable　strength；　develops　another　and　graver

danger。　　Greater　strain　will　be　imposed　upon　the　cable；　while　if

the　wind　be　gusty；　there　is　the　risk　that　the　vessel　will　be　torn

away　from　its　anchoring　rope　and　possibly　lost。　　Thus　it　will　be

seen　that　the　effective　utilisation　of　a　captive　balloon　is

completely　governed　by　meteorological　conditions；　and　often　it　is

impossible　to　use　it　in　weather　which　exercises　but　little

influence　upon　dirigibles　or　aeroplanes。



The　captive　balloon　equipment　comprises　the　balloon；　together

with　the　observer's　basket；　the　wire…cable　whereby　it　is　anchored

and　controlled；　and　the　winding　apparatus。　　Formerly　a　steam

engine　was　necessary　for　the　paying　in　and　out　of　the　cable；　but

nowadays　this　is　accomplished　by　means　of　a　petrol…driven　motor；

an　oil…engine；　or　even　by　the　engine　of　an　automobile。　　The

length　of　cable　varies　according　to　the　capacity　of　the　balloon

and　the　maximum　operating　height。



The　average　British　balloon　is　able　to　lift　about　290　or　300

pounds；　which　may　be　taken　to　represent　the　weight　of　two

observers。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　French　and　German　balloons　are

able　to　carry　four　times　this　weight；　with　the　exception　of　the

French　auxiliaries；　which　are　designed　to　lift　one　observer　only。

The　balloons　of　the　two　latter　Powers　have　also　a　greater　maximum

altitude；　it　is　possible　to　ascend　to　a　height　of　some　2；000　feet

in　one　of　these。



The　observing　station　is　connected　with　the　winding　crew　below

either　by　a　telephone；　or　some　other　signalling　system；　the

method　practised　varying　according　to　circumstances。　　In　turn　the

winding　station　is　connected　with　the　officer　in　charge　of　the

artillery；　the　fire　of　which　the　captive　balloon　is　directing。　　

The　balloon　observer　is　generally　equipped　with　various

instruments；　such　as　telescope；　photographic　cameras；　and　so

forth；　so　as　to　be　able；　if　necessary；　to　prepare　a　topographical

survey　of　the　country　below。　　By　this　means　the　absence　of

reliable　maps　may　be　remedied；　or　if　not　regarded；　as

sufficiently　correct　they　may　be　checked　and　counter…checked　by

the　data　gained　aloft。



Seeing　that　the　gas　has　to　be　transported　in　cylinders；　which　are

weighty；　it　is　incumbent　that　the　waste　of　this　commodity　should

be　reduced　to　the　minimum。　　The　balloon　cannot　be　deflated　at

night　and　re…inflated　in　the　morningit　must　be　maintained　in

the　inflated　condition　the　whole　time　it　is　required　for

operation。



There　are　various　methods　of　consummating　this　end。　　One　method

is　to　haul　in　the　balloon　and　to　peg　it　down　on　all　sides；

completing　the　anchorage　by　the　attachment　of　bags　filled　with

earth　to　the　network。　　While　this　process　is　satisfactory　in　calm

weather；　it　is　impracticable　in　heavy　winds；　which　are　likely　to

spring　up　suddenly。　　Consequently　a　second　method　is　practised。　　

This　is　to　dig　a　pit　into　the　ground　of　sufficient　size　to

receive　the　balloon。　　When　the　latter　is　hauled　in　it　is　lowered

into　this　pit　and　there　pegged　down　and　anchored。　　Thus　it　is

perfectly　safe　during　the　roughest　weather；　as　none　of　its　bulk

is　exposed　above　the　ground　level。　　Furthermore　it　is　not　a

conspicuous　object　for　the　concentration　of　hostile　fire。



In　some　instances；　and　where　the　military　department　is　possessed

of　an　elaborate　equipment　such　as　characterises　the　German　army；

when　reconnaissance　is　completed　and　the　balloon　is　to　be　removed

to　another　point；　the　gas　is　pumped　back　into　the　cylinders　for

further　use。　　Such　an　economical　proceeding　is　pretty　and　well

adapted　to　manoeuvres；　but　it　is　scarcely　feasible　in　actual

warfare；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　pumping　takes　time。

Consequently　the　general　procedure；　when　the　balloon　has

completed　its　work；　is　to　permit　the　gas　to　escape　into　the　air

in　the　usual　manner；　and　to　draw　a　fresh　supply　of　gas　from

further　cylinders　when　the　occasion　arises　for　re…inflation。



Although　the　familiar　spherical　balloon　has　proved　perfectly

adequate　for　reconnoitring　in　the　British　and　French　armies；　the

German　authorities　maintained　that　it　was　not　satisfactory　in

anything　but　calm　weather。　　Accordingly　scientific　initiative　was

stimulated　with　a　view　to　the　evolution　of　a　superior　vessel。　　

These　endeavours　culminated　in　the　Parseval…Siegsfeld　captive

balloon；　which　has　a　quaint　appearance。　　It　has　the　form　of　a

bulky　cylinder　with　hemispherical　extremities。　　At　one　end　of　the

balloon　there　is　a　surrounding　outer　bag；　reminiscent　of　a

cancerous　growth。　　The　lower　end　of　this　is　open。　　This

attachment　serves　the　purpose　of　a　ballonet。　　The　wind　blowing

against　the　opening；　which　faces　it；　charges　the　ballonet　with

air。　　This　action；　it　is　claimed；　serves　to　steady　the　main

vessel；　somewhat　in　the　manner　of　the　tail　of　a　kite；　thereby

enabling　observations　to　be　made　as　easily　and　correctly　in　rough

as　in　calm