The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-10-27
Lewis Nixon Says Currents Flash
ed Through Air Is Battle
Method of Future
NO DANGER FROM ANY AIRSHIPS
Destruction SO Terrible that Nations
Will Be Forced to International
Peace-Electrical Shocks to De-
stroy Every Warship Afloat.

naval Academy anu IOT several years
one of the chief constructors of the
American navy, f1outs the theory that
the airship In any Of its forms will be-
come formidable war machine.
Instead, Mr.. Nixon believes that the
death-dealing terror Of the war Of the
future will be the electric shock
This conclusion has been forced
upon his judgment by careful study
of the subject Of new war agencies
and by closely watching the manoeu.
vres of the Wright aeroplane as 1t
sailed up the Hudson and circled the
representatives Of the worlds great
est navies.
In Mr.. Nixon's opinion, warships can
guard against the danger OF explo-
sives that might be dropped upon
them by airships by specially prepared
armor. He believes, though, that soon
er or later there will be perfected a
gun or some other piece of mechan-
ism for hurling thunder bolt that
will shock to death every man aboard
u warship, irrespective Of its protec-
ton.
IL am convinced" said Mr.. Nixon
to a reporter, that the thing could
be done now, but the mechanism is so
crude that the thunder bolt, or elec.
trio impulse, would kill the man who
should release it, as well as the enc
my. It is possible, of course, that
some foreign nation already has per-
fected the necessary machine with
which to hurl this deadly bolt.
hope, however, that it has not been
done. When the principle Is master
ed the result will make war so horri-
bly, destructive that the human race,
through the sheer force of natures
first law-self-preservatio abol-
ish war.
"The aeroplane is mainly interest
Ing now on account of the fact of
what may grow from it. Possibly we
shall see them like swarms of giant
locusts flying over and beyond armies,
to occupy positions and to cut off COM
munications.
For purposes of observation they
will be of great use. The helicopter,
owing to it's smaller dimensions,
seems best adapted to such uses, es-
pecially to be carried on men-ofwar.
Insofar as I can see, the dirgible,
which will combine much that the
aeroplane is now proving out, Is the
ship Of the future.
Count Zeppelin has already crossed
the Alps and made long voyages
against adverse conditions in all sorts
of weather His airship is larger
than the steamship of thirty years
ago and more speedy than those
that are now crossing the ocean in
record-breaking time. l look to see
airships of the Zeppelin type half a
mile in length. They will not come
down to the earth any more than the
Mauretania will anchor in shallow
air, possibly a thousand feet or more.
Explosives will not be dropped
down, as you could not hit tug with
an apple from the Brooklyn Bridge,
which is only a hundred and thirty
feet high. Electrical guns will be
used, of course, and heavy ones like
our present powder guns.
"Ships at anchor will send up bal.
looms or kites to carry special illumi.
nants, and in time of war the heavens
all around will be brilliantly lighted
with special forms of rockets.
"Men-of-war will be protected best
by special armament for attacking air
craft The airship, however, will
rapidly develop as a peaceful device
and will soon be as much necessity
of modern civilization as the automo
bile.
"The attraction Of gravitation, be
ing a condition of matter, may soor
be comprehended in such a way that
some how balances attraction may be
utilized to mans advantage.
"The gas engine has made the air
ship possible. Years ago the French
found that each horsepower coult
lift thirty-two pounds; so as much al
we develop our horsepower below this
weight SO much net lifting powe
shall we gain.
But you asked me as to the militar.
possibilities" continued Mr.. Nixon
I'VE are on the eye Of tremendous
and far-reaching change in warfare
AS long ago as 1900 pointed out tina
soon thunder bolts would be thrown
The significance of a news item pub
lished about year ago Of a man re
ceiving a shock which nearly prove
fatal while talking over a wireless
telephone was not then fully appre
ciated. 1t would be possible at tn
present day to shock to death ever
man on vessel at Ave miles dis
tance, but 30 far the impulse canno
be projected at any one mark. Blu
direction and aiming will be masters
after a while, and then thunder bolt
will be thrown just as shells ar