aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第33章

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Furthermore；　it　is　a　difficult　target　to　hit　and　accordingly

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

is　another　point　in　its　favour。　　The　experience　of　the　war

has　proved　that　the　numerically　inferior　enemy　prefers　to

carry　out　his　naval　operations　under　the　cover　of　the　mist

and　haze　which　settle　upon　the　water；　and　yet　are　of

sufficient　depth　to　conceal　his　identity　and　composition。

Such　mists　as　a　rule　comprise　a　relatively　thin　bank　of

low…lying　vapour；　which　while　enveloping　the　surface　of　the

water　in　an　impenetrable　pall；　yet　permits　the　mast…heads

of　the　vessels　to　stand　out　clearly；　although　they　cannot

be　detected　from　the　water…level　or　even　from　the　control

and　fighting　tops　of　a　warship。　　A　scouting　waterplane；

however；　is　able　to　observe　them　and　note　their　movement；

and　accordingly　can　collect　useful　information　concerning

the　apparent　composition　of　the　hidden　force；　the　course　it

is　following；　its　travelling　speed；　and　so　forth；　which　it

can　convey　immediately　to　its　friends。



The　aeroplane　has　established　its　value　in　another　manner。

Coal…burning　vessels　when　moving　at　any　pronounced　speed

invariably　throw　off　large　quantities　of　smoke；　which　may

be　detected　easily　from　above；　even　when　the　vessels

themselves　are　completely　hidden　in　the　mist。　　It　was　this

circumstance　which　revealed　the　presence　of　the　British

squadron　in　the　affair　of　the　Bight　of　Heligoland。



The　German　airman　on　patrol　duty　from　the　adjacent　base　on

the　island　of　Heligoland　detected　the　presence　of　this

smoke；　above　the　low…lying　bank　of　fog；　although　there　were

no　other　visible　signs　of　any　vessels。　　Fully　cognisant　of

the　fact　that　the　German　Fleet　was　at　anchor　in　a　safe　place

he　naturally　divined　that　the　smoke　proceeded　from　a　hostile

squadron；　evidently　bent　upon　a　raid。　　He　returned　to　his

headquarters；　conveyed　the　intelligence　he　had　collected　to

his　superior　officers；　upon　receipt　of　which　a　German　cruiser

squadron　was　sent　out　and　engaged　the　British　vessels　to　its

own　discomfiture。　　But　for　the　airman's　vigilance　and　smartness

there　is　no　doubt　that　the　British　squadron　would　have

accomplished　a　great　coup。



This　incident；　however；　served　to　reveal　that　the　aerial　scout　is

prone　to　suffer　from　over…keenness　and　to　collect　only　a　partial

amount　of　information。　　Upon　this　occasion　the　German　watchman

detected　the　presence　of　the　British　torpedo…boat　and　light

cruiser　force。　　Had　he　continued　his　investigations　and　made　a

wider　sweep　he　would　have　discovered　the　proximity　of　the　British

battle…cruiser　squadron　which　routed　the　German　force；　the　latter

having　acted　on　incomplete　information。



While　the　low…lying　sea…fog　is　the　navigator's　worst　enemy；　it　is

the　airman's　greatest　friend　and　protection。　　It　not　only

preserves　him　against　visual　discovery　from　below；　but　is　an

excellent　insulator　of　sound；　so　that　his　whereabouts　is　not

betrayed　by　the　noise　of　his　motor。　　It　is　of　in　calculable　value

in　another　way。　　When　a　fog　prevails　the　sea　is　generally　as


smooth　as　the　pro　verbial　mirror；　enabling　the　waterplanes　to　be

brought　up　under　cover　to　a　suitable　point　from　which　they　may　be

dispatched。　　Upon　their　release　by　climbing　to　a　height　of　a　few

hundred　feet　the　airmen　are　able　to　reach　a　clear　atmosphere；

where　by　means　of　the　compass　it　is　possible　to　advance　in

approximately　the　desired　direction；　safe　from　discovery　from

below　owing　to　the　fog。　　If　they　are　〃spotted〃　they　can　dive　into

its　friendly　depths；　complete　their　work；　and　make　for　the　parent

ship。



Low…lying　sea…fogs　are　favourable　to　aerial　raids　provided　the

scout　is　able　to　catch　sight　of　the　upper　parts　of　landmarks　to

enable　him　to　be　sure　of　the　correctness　of　his　line　of　flight…in

cases　where　the　distance　is　very　short　compass　direction　is

sufficiently　reliable…because　the　bank　of　vapour　not　only

constitutes　a　perfect　screen；　but　serves　as　a　blanket　to　the

motor　exhaust；　if　not　completely；　at　least　sufficiently　to

mislead　those　below。　　Fogs；　as　every　mariner　will　testify；　play

strange　tricks　with　the　transmission　of　sound。　　Hence；　although

those　on　the　vessels　below　might　detect　a　slight　hum；　it　might

possibly　be　so　faint　as　to　convey　the　impression　that　the　aviator

was　miles　away；　when；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　directly

overhead。　　This　confusion　arising　from　sound　aberration　is　a

useful　protection　in　itself；　as　it　tends　to　lure　a　naval　force

lying　in　or　moving　through　the　fog　into　a　false　sense　of

security。



The　development　of　the　submarine　revealed　the　incontrovertible

fact　that　this　arm　would　play　a　prominent　part　in　future

operations　upon　the　water：　　a　presage　which　has　been　adequately

fulfilled　during　the　present　conflict。　　The　instinct　of

self…preservation　at　once　provoked　a　discussion　of　the　most

effective　ways　and　means　of　disguising　its　whereabouts　when　it

travels　submerged。　　To　this　end　the　German　naval　authorities

conducted　a　series　of　elaborate　and　interesting　experiments　off

the　island　of　Heligoland。　　As　is　well　known；　when　one　is　directly

above　a　stretch　of　shallow　water；　the　bottom　of　the　latter　can　be

seen　quite　distinctly。　　Consequentiy；　it　was　decided　to　employ　

aerial　craft　as　detectives。　　Both　the　aeroplane　and　the　dirigible

took　part　in　these　experiments；　being　flown　at　varying　heights；

while　the　submarine　was　maneouvred　at　different　depths　immediately

below。　　The　sum　of　these　investigations　proved　conclusively　that

a　submarine　may　be　detected　from　aloft　when　moving　at　a　depth　of

from　30　to　40　feet。　　The　outline　of　the　submerged　craft　is

certainly　somewhat　blurred；　but　nevertheless　it　is　sufficiently

distinct　to　enable　its　identity　to　be　determined　really　against

the　background　or　bottom　of　the　sea。　　To　combat　this　detection

from　an　aerial　position　it　will　be　necessary　inter　alia　to　evolve

a　more　harmonious　or　protective　colour…scheme　for　the　submarine。

Their　investigations　were　responsible　for　the　inauguration　of　the

elaborate　German　aerial　patrol　of　harbours；　the　base　for　such

aerial　operations　being　established　upon　the　island　of

Heligoland。



So　far　the　stern　test　of　war　as　applied　to　the　science　of

aeronautics　has　emphasised　the　fact　that　as　a　naval　unit　the

dirigible　is　a　complete　failure。　　Whether　experience　will　bring

about　a　modification　of　these　views　time　alone　will　show；　but　it

is　certain　that　existing　principles　of　design　will　have　to

undergo　a　radical　revision　to　achieve　any　notable　results。　　The

aeroplane　alone　has　proved　successful　in　this　domain；　and　it　is

upon　this　type　of　aerial　craft　that　dependence　will　have　to　be

placed。







CHAPTER　XIX

THE　NAVIES　of　THE　AIR



Less　than　three　years　ago　the　momentous　and　spectacular　race

among　the　Powers　of　Europe　for　the　supremacy　of　the　air　began。　　

At　first　the　struggle　was　confined　to　two　rivalsFrance　and

Germanybut　as　time　progressed　and　the　importance　of　aerial

fleets　was　recognised；　other　nations；　notably　Great　Britain；

entered　the　field。



Germany　obtained　an　advantage。　　Experiment　and　research　were

taken　up　at　a　point　which　had　been　reached　by　French　effort；

further　experiments　and　researches　were　carried　out　in　German

circles　with　secret　and　feverish　haste；　with　the　result　that

within　a　short　time　a　pronounced　degree　of　efficiency　according

to　German　ideals　had　been　attained。　　The　degree　of　perfection

achieved　was　not　regarded　with　mere　academic　interest；　it　marked

the　parting　of　the　ways：　the　point　where　scientific　endeavour　com

manded　practical　appreciation　by　turning　the　success　of　the

laboratory　and　aerodrome　into　the　channel　of　commercial

manufacture。　　In　other　words；　systematic　and　wholesale　production

was　undertaken　upon　an　extensive　scale。　　The　component　parts　were

standardised　and　arrangements　were　completed　with　various

establishments　possessed　of　the　most　suitable　machinery　to

perfect　a　programme　for　turning　out　aeronautical　requirements　in

a　steady；　continuous　stream　from　the　moment　the　crisis　developed。



The　wisdom　of　completing　these　arrangements　in　anticipation　is

now　apparent。　　Upon　the　outbreak　of　hostilities　many　German

establishments　devoted　to　the　production　of　articles　required　in

the　infinite　ramifications　of　commerce　found　themselves　deprived

of　their　markets；　but　there　was　no　risk　that　their　large　plants

would　be　brought　to　a　standstill：　　the　Government　ordered　the

manufacture　of　aeroplane　parts　and　motors　upon　an　extensive

scale。　　In　this　manner　not　only　were　the　industrial

establishments　kept　going；　but　their　production　of　aeronautical

requirements　relieved　those　organisations　devoted　to　the

manufacture　of　armaments；　so　that　the　whole　resources　and

facilities　of　these　could　be　concentrated　upon　the　supply　of

munitions　of　war。



In　France　the　air…fleet；　although　extensive　upon　the　outbreak　of

war；　was　somewhat　heterogeneous。　　Experiment　was　still　being

pursued：　no　type　had　met　with　definite　official　recognition；　the

result　being　that　no　arrangements　had　been　completed　for　the

production　of　one　or　more　standard　types　upon　an　elaborate　scale

comparable　with　that　maintained　by　Germany。　　In　fact　some　six

months　after　the　outbreak　of　war　there　was　an　appreciable　lack　of

precision　on　this　point　in　French　military。　　Many　of　the　types

which　had　established　their　success　were　forbidden　by　military

decree　as　mentioned　in　a　previous　chapter；　while　manufacturing

arrangements　were　still　somewhat　chaotic。



Great　Britain　was　still　more　backward　in　the　new　movement。　　But

this　state　of　affairs　was　in　a　measure　due　to　the　division　of　the

Fourth　Arm　among　the　two　services。　　A　well…organised　Government

manufactory　for　the　production　of　aeroplanes　and　other　aircraft

necessities　had　been　established；　while　the　private　manufacturers

had　completed　preparations　for　wholesale　production。　　But　it　was

not　until　the　Admiralty　accepted　responsibility　for　the　aerial

service　that　work　was　essayed　in　grim　earnest。



The　allocation　of　the　aerial　responsibilities　of　Great　Britain　to

the　Admiralty　was　a　wise　move。　　Experience　has　revealed　the

advantages　accruing　from　the　perfection　of　homogeneous　squadrons

upon　the　water；　that　is　to　say　groups　of　ships　which　are

virtually　sister…craft　of　identical　speed；　armament；　and　so　on；

thus　enabling　the　whole　to　act　together　as　a　complete　effective

unit。　　As　this　plan　had　proved　so　successful　upon　the　water；　the

Admiralty　decided　to　apply　it　to　the　fleet　designed　for　service

in　the　air　above。



At　the　time　this　plan　of　campaign　was　definitely　settled　Great

Britain　as　an　aerial　power　was　a　long　way　behind　her　most

fomidable　rival；　but　strenuous　efforts　were　made　to　reduce　the

handicap；　and　within　a　short　while　the　greater　part　of　this

leeway　had　been　made　up。　　Upon　the　outbreak　of　war　Great　Britain

undoubtedly　was　inferior　to　Germany　in　point　of　numbers　of