The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-04
GERMANY BEHIND
IN MILITARY RACE
Especially in Regard to
Technical Improvement
in War Art.
Fatherland Is Far in Rear
OF France in Science of
Wars.

pionship Of the world, and especially in
regard 70 technical inventions. France
has repeatedly and disastrously passed
US. France constructed the first real
Tapid-11re gun, while we in Germany
spent an enormous amount Of money
10 Introduce in our army an antiquated
system. IN France the first submarines
were built. in the French army the au-
lOTpobile was first used, and made prac-
teal, and in France they first mastered
the problem of navigating the air with
dirigible diTShipS. That Germany has
also been left behind on many other
points which are not necessary TO men
ton here. is a weIl-known fact, and I
shall only mention the problem of
adopting a practical modern uniform.
That we have gone ahead at all is
lot due TO any efforts made by the gov
eminent, but rather to the genius and
The hard work Of the men of the people
Also, in regard to airships, private
inventors have shown the way, and at
last made 1t possible for Us to over
take France and probably to outdis-
lance that country,
Encouraged only very little by the
government and helped along financially
only by a lottery, Count Zeppelin worked
for years upon the great problem which
he has after many attempts and many
failures succeeded in solving. According
70 all that is known at the present time,
his gigantic airship Is the best, the most
reliable, most dirigible and fastest of all
airships which have attempted TO navt-
gate the air.
In the meantime another syndicate for
the manufacture OF airships driven by
motors had been formed, partly because
Of the success OF the French, and partly
because the slowness Of our government
aeronauts worried the nation. In the in
terest Of this company Major Won Par
seval worked diligently, and he also sue
ceeded last fall in constructing an air
ship which is at least practical, even if
II is doubtful whather his comparatively
small ship may be compared TO that
owned by the French government.
The aiFships mentioned here may be
of three different systems and all three
have solved the problem of navigating
the air theoretically and practically. All
have certain advantages, and certainly
1t is at this time impossible to say which
system will make the best showing. II
IS more than likely than all three Will
continue 70 exist quite some time, and 10
improve their models in various ways.
III kllC buAltOIlE n0A1L uAlEL count
Zeppelin's system the balloon itself con
sisLs OF an aluminium skeleton covered
with silk. Inside this there are num-
erOus small balloons filed with gas.
The loss Of gas during navigating has
thus been brought down 10 minimum
and the balloon proper viii keep its
form and stability even when the wind
is very strong To different corners the
body Is connected with the balloon in
very solid and rigid manner so that
It is possible 10 place in the ship very
strong motors.
Against the ship comes the fact that
the balloon when not filled cannot be
transported and that II is necessary TO
have special docks. some where it
ascends as well as where it descends.
This evil is lessened somewhat by the
circumstances that this balloon goes
better against the wind than any other,
and that ii can stay Up very long. and
carry Il very large quantity of gasO-
lene. It thus gains a large radius OF
action and IL viii nearly always be pos
slble for IL TO return 10 the attended
place.
Count Zeppelin has made trial trips
through the air lasting eight hours
considerably longer time than any other
ballOOn-and hopes with certain i'm
provements TO be able 10 navigate for
100 hours. In this way he would GER
tainly win great independence of action
as soon as number of aerial forts are
constructed along the boundary lines of
the country, bordered by strong fort
resses. Hitherto he has not been able
10 follow and assist the leaders Of the
Amy IN their operations
Count Zeppelin's balloon has a capaC-
ity OF 1880 cubic meters, and the
length-12S meters-is considerably great
er than that Of the largest German
man-Of-War-
The cost Of its construction is higher
than that CT any other airship-about
10000 marks-which, Of course, Is only a
small amount when il Is Temem bered
that battleships at the present time cost
about 100000 marks, and that their
cost IN the future will probably be more
than 100000
The airship constructed by Major Won
Parseval is entirely different Il is not
rigid and has the great adva ntage that
II may descend easily and without any
risk at any place, and that il weighs
considerably less. When taken apart f.
railroad car. The basket is IN fact
the only part OF IL which is made from
hard material but it is small beins
only fOrUy-eIght meters long, with a gas
capacity Of only 1900 cubic meters. Il
will carry, besides the S0-hOrsepOwer
motor, only four people, while Count
Zeppelin's ship carries nine ana the
larger one that he IS about to build will
probably carry about thirty The disad-
Vantages Of the PaTssVal balloon are
that its mechanism is rather delicate
and easily gets out Of order and that
TIE ropes from the balloon easily get
tangled in the propeller and stop 1t.
The French a1TshlpS. which are ad-
1nfttedly ahead Of any others, are con-
structed after the semi-rig1d system
The bag containing the gas IS shaped
ike a torpedo and carries underneath
nlatform made from aluminium pipes.
iIpon which it rests. The basket IS sus-
pended from this platform. This airship
has been tested under varying condi-
lions and has given absolute satisfac-
riOn so that the French government has
not hesitated in ordering i've more Air
ships of this kind are 10 be stationed at
the fOrtresses Of Nerdun, TOul, Eplnal.
Belfort. Resancon and Lyon.
All dirigible airships have 50 far been
tried only in small attitudes not ex-
ceeding 800 meters, although the French
military authorities state that they have
navigated the air 1900 meters above the
ground It is believed that balloons fly
ing that high viii be out of the range
of guns. but although this may be so
at present, special suns are being con-
striicted which may ~ ured az an angle
of 60 degrees, and ii is theoretically pos
sible to reach them at any height.
It appears from this that although
there are great possibilities in diriEible
airships when they shall have become
Derfect. their present importance is not
very great Il cannot even be said that
q besieged fortress can be cut of from
all communications with the outside
world. on the contrary. the enemy viii
~. .