The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-03-25
AIRSHIP WAR MUST BE AT NIGHT
SAYS EXPERT OF FRANCE.


SAYS EXPERT OF FRANCE.
The war in the air must be a war
in the night The airship's useful
ness dates from sunset to dawn and
its battles must be waged in pitch
black darkness, according to General
Bonnal, of the French army. mem
ber of the military commission of the
National Aerial league.
France-like England and Russia
and every other country, almost, on
this side of the water-s afraid of
Germany. And Germany has a
wealth of dirigibles, not to mention
quantities of shelters for them where
hydrogen is provided at short notice.
SO France, since the "Republique"
was destroyed, very much feels her
inferiority to her old enemy across
the border. And, in spite of an
nouncements that no airship build
ing would be INDUCED in until ex-
periments would obviate the risk of
them becoming obsolete right after
completion, secretly France is buster
than popcorn in a hot skillet.
In six months France aims to out
strip the Germans in dirigibles Just
as far as she now outstrips her in
aeroplanes.
The aviator Capazza, some weeks
ago, startled the country by ex-
planning just how far ahead of
France the Germans really were in
this dirigible business. OF course
fnl III
spasm as a sort of reaction 1t was
pointed out by military authorities
that fleet of aeroplanes could sail
over and under and all round a feet
of dirigibles and poke more bombs
and bullets minute into the enemy's
ranks than airships could in a week
The latter would resemble a bunch
of waiting toy-balloons, amuck in a
swarm of hostile aerial sharpshoot-
ers. A dirigible is an easy mark for
artillery at a 5,000-yard range. One
well directed shot would send her to
destruction, while an aeroplane
could sail high and fast, Offering
much less target opportunity, and at
the same time could do equally as
much damage.
But there is where General Bon
nal comes in with his plan to fight
his airship battle in the dark.
Suppose, for example, Germany
should declare war on France. Bel
gium on the one side and Switzer-
land on the other, leave precious
little French-and-German border. 1t
is down this little neck of land mat
the Kaiser's soldiers would have to
come--unless they ran over Belgium
or Switzerland-the latter unfeasi-
Bile, the other improbably; Belgium
has voted compulsory military SER
vice to obviate this very thing.
Therefore, it is probably that the
midnight battle with airships would
be in that narrow neck. After dark,
the Germans could, not see the dirig-
ibles even if directly overhead, unless
powerful searchlights were employ
ed This would in all likelihood be
done, but what general would be
enough to order perpendicu-
lar firing? One shot in five might
hit, The other four would fall again,
in the midst of the firers, Wilhelm's
own cohorts, playing CORY havoc.
But the idea is not to be seen at
all. What France proposes to do
in the event of war-is to gently
navigate over the territory invested
with the enemy and sail compara-
lively low The voices of sentinels
could be heard telling each other
that all's quiet along the Rhine,
this serving as a guide. Then the
bombs would begin to fall from the
sky. They would come in deluge.
Before the enemy could reply, the
airships would have risen rapidly
and fitted away in the direction of
that dear Paris"
| understand that the Germans are
likewise busy at night rehearsals.
They tell me that already they can
drop a bomb into an uncovered well
at night from a height five times the
altitude of the Eiffel tower without
the use of lamps. Therefore, it
would make interesting reading if
the French airship fleet, and the
Kaisers airship fleet, could meet up
in the air about a mile some evening
about a quarter past midnight and
fight il out,