按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
envelope； and the aeronauts have been fortunate if they have been able to
make a safe descent。
The propeller and engine are carried by the car； which is slung well
below the balloon； and by an ingenious contrivance the car always remains
in a horizontal position； however much the balloon may be inclined。 It is
no uncommon occurrence for the balloon to make a considerable angle
with the car beneath。
The propeller is quite a work of art。 It has a diameter of about 14 feet；
and consists of a frame of hollow steel tubes covered with fabric。 It is so
arranged that when out of action its blades fall lengthwise upon the frame
supporting it； but when it is set to work the blades at once open out。 The
engine weighs 770 pounds； and has six cylinders； which develop 100
horse…power at 1200 revolutions a minute。
The vessel may be steered either to the right or the left by means of a
large vertical helm； some 80 square feet in area； which is hinged at the rear
end to a fixed vertical plane of 200 square feet area。
An upward or downward inclination is； as we have seen； effected by
the ballonets； but in cases of emergency these compensators cannot be
deflated or inflated sufficiently rapidly； and a large movable weight is
37
… Page 38…
THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
employed for altering the balance of the vessel。
In this country the authorities have hitherto favoured the non…rigid air…
ship for military and naval use。 The Astra…Torres belongs to this type of
vessel； which can be rapidly deflated and transported； and so； too； the air…
ship built by Mr。 Willows。
38
… Page 39…
THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
CHAPTER XIII The Zeppelin and Gotha Raids
In the House of Commons recently Mr。 Bonar Law announced that
since the commencement of the war 14；250 lives had been lost as the
result of enemy action by submarines and air…craft。 A large percentage of
these figures represents women； children； and defenceless citizens。
One had become almost hardened to the German method of making
war on the civil populationthat system of striving to act upon civilian
〃nerves〃 by calculated brutality which is summed up in the word
〃frightfulness〃。 But the publication of these figures awoke some of the old
horror of German warfare。 The sum total of lives lost brought home to the
people at home the fact that bombardment from air and sea； while it had
failed to shake their MORAL； had taken a large toll of human life。
At first the Zeppelin raids were not taken very seriously in this country。
People rushed out of their houses to see the unwonted spectacle of an air…
ship dealing death and destruction from the clouds。 But soon the novelty
began to wear off； and as the raids became more frequent and the casualty
lists grew larger； people began to murmur against the policy of taking
these attacks 〃lying down〃。 It was felt that 〃darkness and composure〃
formed but a feeble and ignoble weapon of defence。 The people spoke
with no uncertain voice； and it began to dawn upon the authorities that the
system of regarding London and the south…east coast as part of 〃the front〃
was no excuse for not taking protective measures。
It was the raid into the Midlands on the night of 31st January； 1916；
that finally shelved the old policy of do nothing。 Further justification； if
any were needed； for active measures was supplied by a still more
audacious raid upon the east coast of Scotland； upon which occasion
Zeppelins soared over Englandat their will。 Then the authorities woke up；
and an extensive scheme of anti…aircraft guns and squadrons of aeroplanes
was devised。 About March of the year 1916 the Germans began to break
the monotony of the Zeppelin raids by using sea…planes as variants。 So
there was plenty of work for our new defensive air force。 Indeed； people
began to ask themselves why we should not hit back by making raids into
Germany。 The subject was well aired in the public press； and distinguished
39
… Page 40…
THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
advocates came forward for and against the policy of reprisals。 At a
considerably later date reprisals carried the day； and； as we write； air raids
by the British into Germany are of frequent occurrence。
In March； 1916； the fruits of the new policy began to appear； and
people found them very refreshing。 A fleet of Zeppelins found； on
approaching the mouth of the Thames； a very warm reception。 Powerful
searchlights； and shells from new anti…aircraft guns； played all round them。
At length a shot got home。 One of the Zeppelins； 〃winged〃 by a shell；
began a wobbly retreat which ended in the waters of the estuary。 The navy
finished the business。 The wrecked air…ship was quickly surrounded by a
little fleet of destroyers and patrol…boats； and the crew were brought
ashore； prisoners。 That same night yet another Zeppelin was hit and
damaged in another part of the country。
Raids followed in such quick succession as to be almost of nightly
occurrence during the favouring moonless nights。 Later； the conditions
were reversed； and the attacks by aeroplane were all made in bright
moonlight。 But ever the defence became more strenuous。 Then aeroplanes
began to play the role of 〃hornets〃； as Mr。 Winston Churchill； speaking
rather too previously； designated them。
Lieutenant Brandon； R。F。C。； succeeded in dropping several aerial
bombs on a Zeppelin during the raid on March 31； but it was not until six
months later that an airman succeeded in bringing down a Zeppelin on
British soil。 The credit of repeating Lieutenant Warneford's great feat
belongs to Lieutenant W。 R。 Robinson； and the fight was witnessed by a
large gathering。 It occurred in the very formidable air raid on the night of
September 2。 Breathlessly the spectators watched the Zeppelin harried by
searchlight and shell…fire。 Suddenly it disappeared behind a veil of smoke
which it had thrown out to baffle its pursuers。 Then it appeared again； and
a loud shout went up from the watching thousands。 It was silhouetted
against the night clouds in a faint line of fire。 The hue deepened； the glow
spread all round； and the doomed airship began its crash to earth in a
smother of flame。 The witnesses to this amazing spectacle naturally
supposed that a shell had struck the Zeppelin。 Its tiny assailant that had
dealt the death…blow had been quite invisible during the fight。 Only on the
40
… Page 41…
THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
following morning did the public learn of Lieutenant Robinson's feat。 It
appeared that he had been in the air a couple of hours； engaged in other
conflicts with his monster foes。 Besides the V。C。 the plucky airman won
considerable money prizes from citizens for destroying the first Zeppelin
on British soil。
The Zeppelin raids continued at varying intervals for the remainder of
the year。 As the power of the defence increased the air…ships were forced
to greater altitudes； with a corresponding decrease in the accuracy with
which they could aim bombs on specified objects。 But； however futile the
raids； and however widely they missed their mark； there was no falling off
in the outrageous claims made in the German communiques。 Bombs
dropped in fields； waste lands； and even the sea； masqueraded in the
reports as missiles which had sunk ships in harbour； destroyed docks； and
started fires in important military areas。 So persistent were these
exaggerations that it became evident that the Zeppelin raids were intended
quite as much for moral effect at home as for material damage abroad。 The
heartening effect of the raids upon the German populace is evidenced by
the mental attitude of m