aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第4章

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absolute　terrorsuch　in　brief　is　the　history　of　this　craft　of

the　air。



Count　von　Zeppelin　can　scarcely　be　regarded　as　an　ordinary　man。

He　took　up　the　subject　of　flight　at　an　age　which　the　majority　of

individuals　regard　as　the　opportune　moment　for　retirement　from

activity；　and；　knowing　nothing　about　mechanical　engineering；　he

concentrated　his　energies　upon　the　study　of　this　science　to

enable　him　to　master　the　difficulties　of　a　mechanical　character

incidental　to　the　realisation　of　his　grand　idea。　　His　energy　and

indomitable　perseverance　are　equalled　by　his　ardent　patriotism；

because；　although　the　Fatherland　discounted　his　idea　when　other

Powers　were　ready　to　consider　it；　and　indeed　made　him　tempting

offers　for　the　acquisition　of　his　handiwork；　he　stoutly　declined

all　such　solicitations；　declaring　that　his　invention；　if　such　it

may　be　termed；　was　for　his　own　country　and　none　other。



Count　von　Zeppelin　developed　his　line　of　study　and　thought　for

one　reason　only。　　As　an　old　campaigner　and　a　student　of　military

affairs　he　realised　the　shortcomings　of　the　existing　methods　of

scouting　and　reconnoitring。　　He　appreciated　more　than　any　other

man　of　the　day　perhaps；　that　if　the　commander…in…chief　of　an　army

were　provided　with　facilities　for　gazing　down　upon　the　scene　of

operations；　and　were　able　to　take　advantage　of　all　the

information　accruing　to　the　man　above　who　sees　all；　he　would　　

hold　a　superior　position；　and　be　able　to　dispose　his　forces　and

to　arrange　his　plan　of　campaign　to　the　most　decisive　advantage。　　

In　other　words；　Zeppelin　conceived　and　developed　his　airship　for

one　field　of　application　and　that　alone…military　operations。　　

Although　it　has　achieved　certain　successes　in　other　directions

these　have　been　subsidiary　to　the　primary　intention；　and　have

merely　served　to　emphasise　its　military　value。



Von　Zeppelin　was　handicapped　in　his　line　of　thought　and

investigation　from　the　very　first。　　He　dreamed　big　things　upon　a

big　scale。　　The　colossal　always　makes　a　peculiar　and　irresistible

appeal　to　the　Teutonic　nature。　　So　he　contemplated　the　perfection

of　a　big　dirigible；　eclipsing　in　every　respect　anything　ever

attempted　or　likely　to　be　attempted　by　rival　countries。

Unfortunately；　the　realisation　of　the　〃colossal〃　entails　an

equally　colossal　financial　reserve；　and　the　creator　of　this　form

of　airship　for　years　suffered　from　financial　cramp　in　its　worst

　manifestation。　　Probably　it　was　to　the　benefit　of　the　world　at

large　that　Fortune　played　him　such　sorry　tricks。　　It　retarded　the

growth　of　German　ambitions　in　one　direction　very　effectively。



As　is　well　known　Zeppelin　evolved　what　may　be　termed　an

individual　line　of　thought　in　connection　with　his　airship

activities。　　He　adopted　what　is　known　as　the　indeformable

airship：　that　is　to　say　the　rigid；　as　opposed　to　the　semi…rigid

and　flexible　craft。　　As　a　result　of　patient　experiment　and

continued　researches　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　a　huge　outer

envelope　taking　the　form　of　a　polygonal　cylinder　with

hemispherical　ends；　constructed　upon　substantial　lines　with　a

metallic　skeleton　encased　within　an　impermeable　skin；　and　charged

with　a　number　of　smaller　balloon…shaped　vessels　containing　the

lifting　agenthydrogen　gaswould　fulfil　his　requirements　to　the

greatest　advantage。　　Model　after　model　was　built　upon　these

lines。　　Each　was　subjected　to　searching　tests　with　the　invariable

result　attending　such　work　with　models。　　Some　fulfilled　the

expectations　of　the　inventor；　others　resolutely　declined　to

illustrate　his　reasonings　in　any　direction。



The　inevitable　happened。　　When　a　promising　model　was　completed

finally　the　inventor　learned　to　his　sorrow　what　every　inventor

realises　in　time。　　His　fortune　and　the　resources　of　others　had

been　poured　down　the　sink　of　experiment。　　To　carry　the　idea　from

the　model　to　the　practical　stage　required　more　money；　and　it　was

not　forthcoming。　　The　inventor　sought　to　enlist　the　practical

sympathy　of　his　country；　only　to　learn　that　in　Germany；　as　in

other　lands；　the　axiom　concerning　the　prophet；　honour；　and

country　prevails。　　No　exuberant　inventor　received　such　a　cold

douche　from　a　Government　as　did　Count　Zeppelin　from　the　Prussian

authorities。　　For　two　years　further　work　was　brought　practically

to　a　standstill：　nothing　could　be　done　unless　the　sinews　of　war

were　forthcoming。　　His　friends；　who　had　assisted　him　financially

with　his　models；　now　concluded　that　their　aid　had　been　misplaced。



The　inventor；　though　disappointed；　was　by　no　means　cast　down。　　He

clung　tenaciously　to　his　pet　scheme　and　to　such　effect　that　in

1896　a　German　Engineering　Society　advanced　him　some　funds　to

continue　his　researches。　　This　support　sufficed　to　keep　things

going　for　another　two　years；　during　which　time　a　full…sized

vessel　was　built。　　The　grand　idea　began　to　crystallise　rapidly；

with　the　result　that　when　a　public　company　was　formed　in　1898；

sufficient　funds　were　rendered　available　to　enable　the　first

craft　to　be　constructed。　　It　aroused　considerable　attention；　as

well　it　might；　seeing　that　it　eclipsed　anything　which　had

previously　been　attempted　in　connection　with　dirigibles。　　It　was

no　less　than　420　feet　in　length；　by　38　feet　in　diameter；　and　was

fitted　with　two　cars；　each　of　which　carried　a　sixteen　horse…power

motor　driving　independent　propellers　rigidly　attached　to　the　body

of　the　vessel。　　The　propellers　were　both　vertical　and　horizontal；

for　the　purpose　of　driving　the　ship　in　the　two　planesvertical

and　horizontal　respectively。



The　vessel　was　of　great　scientific　interest；　owing　to　the

ingenuity　of　its　design　and　construction。　　The　metallic　skeleton

was　built　up　from　aluminium　and　over　this　was　stretched　the

fabric　of　the　envelope；　care　being　observed　to　reduce　skin

friction；　as　well　as　to　achieve　impermeability。　　But　it　was　the

internal　arrangement　of　the　gas…lifting　balloons　which　provoked

the　greatest　concern。　　The　hull　was　divided　into　compartments；

each　complete　in　itself；　and　each　containing　a　small　balloon

inflated　with　hydrogen。　　It　was　sub…division　as　practised　in

connection　with　vessels　ploughing　the　water　applied　to　aerial

craft；　the　purpose　being　somewhat　the　same。　　As　a　ship　of　the

seas　will　keep　afloat　so　long　as　a　certain　number　of　its

subdivisions　remain　watertight；　so　would　the　Zeppelin　keep　aloft

if　a　certain　number　of　the　gas　compartments　retained　their

charges　of　hydrogen。　　There　were　no　fewer　than　seventeen　of　these

gas…balloons　arranged　in　a　single　line　within　the　envelope。　

Beneath　the　hull　and　extending　the　full　length　of　the　latter　was

a　passage　which　not　only　served　as　a　corridor　for　communication

between　the　cars；　but　also　to　receive　a　weight　attached　to　a

cable　worked　by　a　winch。　　By　the　movement　of　this　weight　the　bow

or　stem　of　the　vessel　could　be　tilted　to　assist　ascent　and

descent。



The　construction　of　the　vessel　subsequently　proved　to　be　the

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　greate