New-York tribune., 1905-06-04
AIRSHIPS IN WAR.
They WiH Sarely Come if Not
> .--.-. Barred Out


sphere" says George Lynch in THE Grand
Magazine" The aeronaut had succeeded in solving
the problem he had set himself, and thenceforwsrd
had merely to perfect the details. Assuming.
entitled TO do, that NJ. Santos-D -Dumont's
new ship proves success. and that, in addition
20 carrying a crew Of eight or tcsA It will have
lifting power Tor a small caEsu. what power
ful and novel weapon r1 offensive warfare is at
the disposal OF the n-iions.
..Tn the next contS-ntal war II Is uncomfortable
that the effectiveness OF such mode Of attack
Viil not be utilized. After the lessons OF the recent
siege Of Port Arthur any can realize the i'm
rnense service practicable airship of sufficient
size would have been TO the besiegers and what
q difference there might have been in the history
of the operations IT, instead OF the enormous
labor OF having to bring immense siege guns from
Japan n order to destroy the ships in the harbor,
lyd5ite could have been dropped upon the vessels
decks from above. Unquestionaby the cheaper
form OF attack in this instance would have been
by airships.
'Tt viii perhaps be urged that the gasbag of
large airship would offer a comparatively easy
target, but. at sufficient elevation, think this
IS by no means the case. During the siege OF
Ladysmith myself captive balloon
brought slowly 10 the ground by Boer rife fire
alone; but then It must be borne in mind that the
balloon was stationary and at low elevation.
little higher than the hill from which the firing
came. moving airship at a considerable eleva-
ton would form very difficult target. and if only
slight damage were inflicted, there would always
be the chance OF being able TO get away outside
the enemies lnes before having to earth.
ShrHpnel fire will probably be found the most
effective against such vessels but there must al
ways be the difficulty Of getting the proper eleva-
ton Cor the guns. and they could not be fired
vertically without the chance of the projectiles
on their return doing harm to the side that
fred them than they inflicted on the enemy.
"A curious connection arises between submarines
and airships. because the latter will probably be
used means OF attacking the former. At
present submarines quite invisible from the
ships they attack. but from tbs elevation OF
balloon eirship their movements under the
water can be observed with the utmost distnctness
Airships. will probably therefore. be used TO re-
eonnoitre the movements of submarines behalf
OF the ships the latter about 70 attack and may
furthermore be used to drop projectles upon them.
If feet employs airships TO watch submarines
will its enemy, and then the time must come
when the craft Will attack each other. and
the first air fight will take place Not many years
will pass before Tennysons prediction will be
realized, when he
Heard the heavens fill with shouting. and there
rained a CHASTITY dew 49,,
From the nations airy navies graphing in the
Far along the worldwide whisper of the south
with the standards Of the people punging through
the thunderstorm.
BY his trips over the Mediterranean and back
NJ Santos-Dumont has proved that It will be quite
feasible when his ship is ready, to sail across
from Paris and hover over London. Imagine the
the upper air and commence taking pot-shots at
the dome OF St PauTs or expectorating Jumps Of
yddte on the Bank of England! The inhabitants
would be poweriess to reply, and the only people
who would enjoy real safety would be travellers
IN the Two-penny Tube the District Railway.
This is no fantastic Jules Verne-like situation
that I suggesting; it has come within the
practical field Of actual military operations Air
ships will have to fight arships and to defend
cities against cheir attacks, and when the first
appears equipped by any power, all the other
powers viii have TO follow with Just the same
teverish competition followed the introduction
Of any OF the other new war weapons. such as
ouick-fring guns. torpedoes submarines. It
is short-sighted for a nation net to be fully
equipped and not possess all the weapons used
by its opponent.
That dirisible airships have arrived. and have
come TO stay with US, is ndubtabIe Now the
question arises. will they, should they be used
In warfare? they be used, all the powers
Will have to launch into enormous and unre-
productive expenditure. go.
7 have ne hesitation in declaring that every
thing not~fair i'm war, least between civilized
nations The qualification necessary for nation
to be considered 'civilized@is now generally ad-
utted TO be the attainment OF certain proficiency
In the of killing thus the Japanese, long as
they were merely kIiown for the production of
beautiful works of art were not regarded as
hilized, but are unquestionably qualified
after killing 100000 Russians. Explosive bullets
not fair; is the poisoning of wells. sources
Of water supply 1t Is also agreed tnat the air
shall not be poisoned with deadly gases; and that
the Red Cross shall not be fired upon. Minor rules
sor the great war game were arranged at the first
Hague Conference. In the case of a city taken by
assault for instance. educati tional ard religious
buildings and institutions shall be respected and
works of art shall not be destroyed or taken as
spoils. 1888,
Now II appears. TO me that the time arrived
when e practical task is eoIIered TO the various
peace societies Of the world If it be useles for we'll
meaning people enter pious protests against the
scourge of war and pass vague, futile resolutions
about disarmament here is something to which they
might direct their efforts with prospect Of
effective result The ideas of ceasing, Of
the nations disarming, purely visionary; the
earth will probably continue 70 be blotted with
oattlehelds until the end of time but the earth
and the sea might be considered 10 give sufficient
scope for fighting. and the other element, the air,
night very well he barred for battling in.
THE opportunity of the next Hague Conference
might be taken advantage of to bring forward this
question and the efforts of the various organtza-
lions for the promotion Of peace might proftably
49, directed to its getting hearing. 1t is by no
.eans premature to direct attention TO SO impor-
ssi,t subject because already of the clever
est engineers Of the European armies are at work
IN the airship problem and their labors before
orr are perfectly certain 10 result in the founda-
lion and development Of vast industry ,, Ior tn 1ne
construction OF new species OF man-kIlilhg ma, ma
chimes complex delicate ard costly, ana IN lhe
training of men to handle them, o,-.os,, +.xad
The peoples Of the world are aIrsao! '4seu aie
previously enough for war purposes. surrey IneS me-;
might mutually agree not to w9ge war IN the ar
make hattlefetds OF the. clouds!
DROP a PENNY AND GET A DRINK.
The PENNSYLVANIA Railroad has recently installed
= It's ferfyhoase a novelty in the way Of penny
-+be-slo+ machine - The device Vends ice-cooled