| Show The Zeppelin Airship k t An Au aerial engine of war wai by Paul Thompson In a a. retrospect of the year 1908 probably the tho most striking striking- thing thing- about I the period will be the wonderful adVance advance ad ad- I vance made matte In the sphere of ot aerial I I navigation In no preceding period of equal length has haa one ono fraction traction o of oC i tho the accomplishments of 1908 been achieved New Now records for distance j t height and practically everything else elseI I wore were made mode and feats performed which even yen one ono year previous would havo have I been deemed tho the ravings of an 1 mind More flights were wore made ln in every part of or the world in eve every t m conceivable type of ot cleaving air-cleaving maI ma- ma I chino and the public at largo large began j to respect tho the prophecies of ot those who foretold a a. practical utilization of these strange birds of ot passage h for forbort aport bort ort commerce and war Apart I from the tho world wide sensational I achievements of or the VIi Wright ht brothers I whose wonderful accomplishments on oni i both sides aides of ot the Atlantic have been i received ed with such acclaim probably most interest attaches to the tho work in tn tnt t Germany of Count Zeppelin with an nn entirely different type of or an air ves yes sel eel Tho Zeppelin is la not fin nn aeroplane acro- acro plane like tho the Wrights Wright's machInes machine but butan I an airship combining the qualities of oC ofa ofa a a. balloon yet ct unlike the latter In that It Is dirigible The Zeppelin was and Is Is there there havo have been several several several-a a great cylindrical framework of or alum alum- mum pointed at tho the ends and covered cov coy ered with linoleum Inside a row of or ordinary round balloons are arc Inflated Close beneath tho the cylindrical cigar elgar- shaped bod body of tho the airship are re suspended sus sus- gondolas which float loat on the water often otten when the necessary ship Is first launched d from its shed on the waters of Lake Lako Constance where most of the flights have been held heM or when alighting on tho the same body of or water The motors and propellers are arevell vell well up on the sides of ot the so- so called cigar so that the they push right in the line lino of the body has to travel By fly careful study Count Zeppelin has evolved a 0 series senes of or rudders and propellers propellers pro- pro I which enable him to go Just where he ho wishes thus realizing most remarkably tho the dream of or an nn almost perfect dirigible Tho The flight last August of or this remarkable creation creation creation crea crea- tion of tho the German scientist over the mountains of the tho Swiss German frontier heralded around tho the world awoke that self BOlt same sarno world to the possibilities of or airships of this kind Even E the wreck of or the 7 Zeppelin IV IY meant nothing as concerns the merits of ot the machine for tor the tho storm did most moet of the Ule damage through the leakage leak leal n ago age o of ot gas gns mingled with the air in- in eldo the This mixture made a strong and powerful explosive only ready for tor a a. spark spank of or any kind to bring about tho wreck reck Had tho the Zeppelin been flying in the air all at the time timo she sho ho might easily have havo been saved f which in shallow water are lost as water of or great depth does oes to steamships steamships steamships steam steam- ships which IB Is shallow water are aro lost The wonderful performance of ot this I particular Zeppelin was accomplished I s y t L I 4 ai- ai I p 4 4 I 1 4 t 4 j U 4 Le on August 4 the tho trip trio being from Lake Constance to Basel and Strasburg Strasburg- down the Rhine Rhino to Mayence a n distance dis dis- dis- dis tance tanco of miles Automobiles which attempted to follow it wore were left leit far far behind so 60 great was wa the tho speed of ot the airship Tho The accident which destroyed destroyed des des- troyed the machine machino on the tile re return return return re- re turn trip or or rather while preparations were vero being being- made for tho the return from Mayence ence Count Zeppelin had telegraphed for tor more moro cylinders and was waiting for tor them when a n small cyclone arose which dashed the airship airship air air- airship ship held by soldiers to the ground and it In conjunction with the tho explosions which came immediately immediately immedi immedi- I ate afterwards Throughout all aU Germany the tho loss of ot the wonderful machine was wn felt to bea be bea a national cn calamity am It and messages of or condolence and offering assistance were sent In from every corner of ot the empire Subscription lists were opened opened opened open open- ed at once in Berlin Bremen I gart and towns and cities in Gennan Germany and Switzerland to provide funds for tor tho the construction of or a a. sue suc successor cessor to the tho lost airship A A. check from the imperial councilors for tor U 6 an advance ad on tho the budget ap approprIated ap- ap by the tho state for tor aeronautical was sent on to tho the count immediately Opinions on the part of or experts In regard to the Zeppelin and its types t-pes I of of air ships for tor practical war purposes following tho the accident were man many and varied Some Somo felt that it showed tho the airship w uld be he of no value only as asa asa a n. fortress balloon especially the rigid and type like the Zeppelin tho the other German and French war nr balloons balloons In la contrast to the I ble blo kind ordinary war wat balloons heretofore here here- used b by tho the United States and other governments All the latter can be deflated at once which was wai not true of or the destroyed Zeppelin or any of or its predecessors or its successor which kayo havo had an aluminum skin which renders such a method of or safety safety safe safe- ty impossible Ian l Many authorities took the other point of view and assorted 1 that the accident to the Zeppelin was what might happen to an any airship and did not disprove tho possibility of such machines becoming real fact fact- tors in the tho wars of the future Where an ordinary airship or balloon could be punctured when whon within gun n ll range tho the aluminum Covering of or machines like lIJe the tho Zeppelin would render such sucha a pos possibility remote especially from small arms Over one ono million dollars were subscrIbed subscribed sub sub- scribed for tor tho the new Zeppelin whoso whose speedy speed construction was mado made possible ble bie through the undamaged ed condition condition condi condi- tion of ot much of ot the machinery of or the Zeppelin IV rv Tho The new airship made Its initial appearance in October It carried ten passengers and wont through evolutions which for tor speed and stability could not be surpassed At t an average height of feet teet the machine went through h these evolutions evolutions and arid attained a 0 spec speed 1 of about 24 miles an hour traveling for tor over three hours At the height of 1000 re feet t a wonderful exhibition was given the tho craft turning to tho the right and left and then spinning spinning- completely complete around at an anglo angle of ot 35 degrees It raised Its bow and Its stern alternately and mado short sharp dashes In an any direction di direction dl di- the tho engineer desired It wasa was a wonderful tul display of ot tho the absolute control of the machine Last but hut not least tho kaiser himself him him- self decided to fi fly with Count On the tho day scheduled one of or his staff much munch resembling tho the German ruler did ascend and the thu news was telegraphed teles all ull over tho the world worM that tho the kaiser hud had gone up This was afterwards proven to bo bOI un an error thou though h there thoro Is a a. cortaint cor- cor taint that the indefatigable emperor will wUl be c b found one one-of or these da days 8 flying hig In the Zeppelin In which ho has ever maintained the most thorough Interest This Tills interest Is BO so keen that largely through his own following a n report by the tho special commission appointed appointed ap ap- ap- ap pointed b by the time war department tho the German government has purchased the Zap polin This would seem to establish lish beyond question the tho opinion b by eminent authorities In re regard ard to tho the practicability for war purposes of this airship There can bo be no sweet without its bitter and Count Zeppelins Zeppelin's record of ot ofa ofa ota a hour 12 flight with his destroyed craft was lost to him last fall tall when Major ajor Gross Gross' rl semi rigid airship stayed in the air for 13 hours It marks marIes a triumph triumph tri tri- for tor the Gorman German army officers Identified with aeronautics among whom Major Gross who designed tho the and new has long been one ono of the most conspicuous mem mon bers Professor of or the Technical Technical cal University at Dantzig followed up the performance of at Gross with an an announcement an- an of or plans for a rigid airship which will exceed tile the Zeppelin In speed and carrying carrying- power Wood rood Instead o of aluminum will bo us used d on tho tim machine Two horsepower ICO I g- g gas motors will propel tho the ship shill Some Somo Interesting facts about his airship airship airship air air- ship are It can and has carried led 16 persons at one Hmo it is over HO feet teet long and 45 feet in diameter Sixteen separate compartments hold the ga gas gaa for supporting the tho airship Blunt at the tho bow bov It tapers to the stern whore tho steering device Is fixed Underneath two Independent motors each of ot horsepower are attached to platforms Sleeping Slet quarters for tho crow are aro d for Cor and tho timo airship carries a wireless outfit Such Is tho the greatest airship of ot all nIl times tho the ma- ma cHino will pIa play an Important part In iii an any ami European war Germany German ma may be he Involved in from this time forth only Instead of ono one the German army will vili have havo a fleet neet of similar machines s led forth to battle by tho Zeppelin It- It Self elf I |
