The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-02
Auships in Mar
By COUNT ERNEST RENENTLOW
The Foremost German Naval Expert

I Al
tate tho chief work performed both
BY airships and flying machines will be
that Of recommending, and it is neces-
sury to emphasize the enormous i'm
portancc of aerial scouting at sea The
Importance Of this innovation is quite
clear to every thoughtful man, who
must understand how necessary it is
10 the commanding admiral of a ,lcet
that he should receive news OF the
enemy's position by means OF airship
or Iiyins machine, which even his fast
est cruisers could not send to him.
owing to their more limited field Of
activity. Hitherto 1t appears that the
airship. and especially the Zeppelin
type Of arshlp. is more suitable thar
the dying machine Tor scouting work
al SEA provided that these airships be
capable Of remaining aloft under un-
iavorAble weather conditions Pro.
vined TINS condition be fulfilled the
advantages OF the uirship would be
tEat IL can remain longer in the air
than tho ilyins machine. and perhaps
mat II can rise TO q high elevation
more rapidiy 10 withdraw from the
danger zone On the other hand, the
Tying machine has a great speed
which Will never be attained by any
:,irship
In view of these Inherent qualities.
We may assume that both airships ana
tiyin. machines would be successful
In naval warfare, a.rcortiing TO their
machine would. fol instance. b.. OF
great advantage with Ieligolnnd as a
bass because in q slior, time one or
more nNinc machines could pass over
q considerable part Of that area of
the North SEA which would have 10
% searched for hostile ships The
1undamentn! difference between the
work OF the airship and the work OF
tho ilying machine would be thu, the
.irship could follow the enemy. Willie
iis own communication with the basis
ashore could be maintained by one or
more dying machines, acting Is mes
sage bearers
ships ana living machines would be
exposed. French experts believe that
tying machines in consequence Of their
small size anu high speed. are almost
invulncrablc though that appears to
~" an eXlgyAra ton, ana could only
npp!y H. ths MGnrs o. dusk (. or dark
ca that o1iii lying machines and
::,irshp4 are invulneruble so long as
their their position !: !mmelliately above a
there is only one ship in question
As soon rs there is more than one ship
the other one could always train her
At the aiyship or flying machine with
out cndangering the ship beneath II.
msriiy rs is own speed, while the
airship is protected by its rapid change
OF attitude. AS z general rule. the
great a distance as possible from the
enemy. otherwise its destruction Will
be rapid; III, the arishp will he oblis-
Cd to remain AZ as great a distance as
possible !r1Lf the enemy, otherwise It's
desiruc,i.n ,mill 'bcrnpid. hut as the
airshp Mi generally ca eli sight Of
tile buttirships before the battleships
get n GiinpIc of the nirshipS, the lat
ter Will ne able 10 egulate its move
1nents acco. ling 0 the necessities OF
On the other hand il inc alrshn
were ever surprised and suddenly found
Itself III the vicinity Of the Heating
enemy, IFS position would hc inime-
diately very dangerous. because, under
the most favorable circumstances its
speed would not he considerably great
81 than that Of a maritime warship.
The fyiNg machine need not take the
same precautions, because i viii arr
pear il iarse nInbefs and rs ssce:s
some quick daring dash.
Regarding liz prospects Of dropping
explosives %, Of The air. i must be
very attractive and Il is certainly quite
possible tha, large proportion "
successful aims. could oe attained II
must be rcmcmt cred however. that an
n!rship would hot be able 10 drop
heavy prticctiles with great penctrat-
Ing power. bat tile lightest possible
penetrating no" destructive mower. but
which woull operate Oh striking their
target Experience teaches rs tina;
ouch explosives could work great de-
etruction III In, Immediate Vicinity OF
the spot on which they fell. They
could, for Instance. penetrate one deck.
but not ,wr decks, So that the chi
cheney of re mutilatcd Warship would
probably remain undiminished The
danger Of tre destruction y! gun tur-
rets Or nonnnZ lowers coula lie avoid
ed by ihic!SeF a.mor plating without
nnduly Increasing the weight " those
defensive paris il wdIld he another
matter i IroSrhSs IN nc construction
nt airships and aeroplancs snbseducntlv
enabled thcin 10 carry really consii-
cradle Quantities Of Vcrv destructive
eHpiosiv2s wlih them.
possible Tic aerial attack WITH cxplo.
eives mist nirrady be REGARDED rs dan-
Eerous. buJ il Is dangerous to propheSy
FOR his reason. the ap1liuon Of mari
time arias ANA pther Ear reaching con-
illusions. - prescm, se mayo not yet
reached tha; uoint wherc the airShip
or aeropIanc IS entirnif t-1stworthy
for sea -soi'lg iErrpscs Wien that has
heen attainc4, tlieir functions for som"
time 70 come VIII DOUBTLESS ne limited
20 scouting. ipar, from that duty.
they VIII haze to perform ne very I'm
portan, sr1 hitherto nnso!YeA PROB
submarine mines and also submarine
Warships i j. Well known that ~ a
certain rlritu1e above water il is pos.
& sible TO see far beneath the surface.
q and also submarine warshipS Viii prol, :
ably be caGlly Visible :, a:rSAips an;.
4 rying machines undcg Al conditions.
II airshDs ana nying inacnincs real
~ succce1 IN communicating the post :
tion OF hostile submarines 10 Their
commanding officers. tfer Nj! render
services u cNtraordinaiY inIportancc.
\ and We stcT!! have 81 sc-i0! vcs. els
o. most cffccriye proteEt!on .gains,
/ mines rhoHr influence ~ future ma 81
TING wa-s viii otherwise Nr very great
a For the present. The attainment of re
liable navigation qualities IL the FIRST
essential for nirships arl ny!ng ma
n chimes y nying fnacltnc which talls
n into tho victor *, In case 81 war. ios;
htyond ~ bore