Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-28
OUR NAIL POUCH.
Krial Warships.

To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Will you kindly allow me to correct q
wrong impression liable to be conveyed
through an imperfection existing in letter
from me, published in your issue of Decem-
Der o. entitled Eronantlcal War Material"
upon which you make editorial comments
as follows:
"All OF which is a long distance from de-
monstrution that these airships can cross
the Atlantic, or that If brought across, they
could carry the stock Of ammunition neces-
sary to lay great cities in ashes"
This position is correctly taken by The
DISPATCH. The airship OF the present time
bears somewhat the same relation to its base
OF supplies that the torpedo or tOfpedo-boat
does to the irOnsclad warshfp which conveys
II across broad oceans and controls and rein
forces Its onslaughts. The present function
OF an aerial torpedo is strictly that OF an
assailant, dependent upon the sheltering
power or protection of suitable seagoing
vessel, which may be the conyeyor or many
like it, as well as a single one To cross the
Atlantic would not, believe, be practicable
for any warship to-day, and 1t certainly
attempt it. But, assume that foreign fleet
of modern war vessels should approach and
lie off one of our Atlantic ports. Within a
few hours after arrival one OF these vessels
could easily "hatch out" quite brood of
winged tormentors, each one competent to do
damage almost past estimate, while always
dDle 10 Idll DaCK on 1US DaSe OF SuDplleS. NUT
need the airship descend to receive its sup
plies. These need only be attached to trail
ropes, and hang hundreds of feet below tho
afrship, ready to detach when arriving df-
rectly over the desirable point, while the
air sailors run no risk of the magazines
exploding. Picture the demoralizing fnfiu-
ence upon a garrison of the approach of
such vessel bearing a destructive eE
plosives of high power pendant from a
closeri
Now, the ready consequence Of airships to
great distances by ordinary methods, and
the erection and operating of plants speed
lily after arrival, is very simple affair. At
the risk of lying under suspicion of "bal.
looming my industry" let me give few ac-
tual examples from my own experience, ex-
posing at the same time O trade secret"
which is that carry in an ordinary trunk
all the details of a practical airship. 1t has
one man, in New York, Massachusetts,, Con-
necticut Delaware, Maryland. Pennsylva-
mia and Illinois, inflated with hydrogen gas
made from water by portable generators
As instancing the celebrity Of operation
possible let me say that in some 80 instances
Saratoga Springs, n. Y, at II A. M. and with
three hours active work have foated the
vessel heavenward and repacked my gas
works for reshipment. Again, on two occa-
s1ons, have gone from my home in New
York State to Winchester, Va, operated
with generated hydrogen there and an hour
later placed all my apparatus on board train
and journeyed to Staunton, Va, 100 miles,
and operated there two hours after water
was placed in my gas generators. Twice
during this year the sky bicycle airsh1p has
ascended from Stoneboro Pa, 80 minutes
after water was placed in my gas generators.
From Rockville, Conn.,, went direct to At
lanta, Ca, 900 miles, as fast as steam could
carry myself and baggage, arriving just be-
fore noon, and mytelf assembled with hydro
gen early in the afternoon. These are per-
sonal revelations, and have no parallel as
regards celerity in any country, but they
show with certainty what may be accom-
plished with facilities existing, and how
readily transported operated similar. de-
vices may be by. foreign power whose
while more secret, is likely to be
quite as efficient as my own.
CARL MYERS,
FRANKFORT, N. Y, December 26.