New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-16

between Germany and france was the
destruction Of a German Zeppelin by
French aviator on the French frontier
Almost daily reports are received Of the way
aerial craft are used to great advantage in mod
ern warfare
To destroy Zeppelin that way by dashinS into
the huge gas bag. is the ambition Of many French
ayistors Jules V6drines, the famous French avi-
stor. who was 1rst 70 hy at IS and 100 miles
hour and made 100 miles hour in the Gordon
Bennett Cup race, at Chicago. in 1872 said that
in case Of war between France and Germany he
would prove his theory that Zeppens are not
worth more than the least seroplsne by flying
10 either Metz OF Strassburg, along the French
frontiers where Zeppeiins and dashng into
one. Said Vedrnes:
Give me an hour or two from the time they
start TO take the Zeppelin out Of the hangar and
I'll start from Toul or Verdun and I'll send any
Zeppelin to join the Deutschlands. the two Yep
helms which we're destroyed in 1910 and 1911
As there are many French aviators who would
consider II glorious give their life in such cir
cumstsnces dirigibles are in serious danger.
In general the attacks against dirigibles will be
made with fast seroplanes equipped with ma
chine guns These aeroplanes. on sighting dir-
pjble will rise TO several hundred feet above 1t,
but al distance of from 5000 to 5000 feet, so as
10 be out Of range Of the dirgible's guns, and,
diving. will swiftly pump shots on the huge en-
velope. While the holes Of the small bullets viii
not De sufficient TO cause the wreck Of the ship,
they will cause loss Of gas sufficiently TO force the
airship to retire quickly-or sink.
To Offset this disadvantage it has been planned
2. have a platform with rail on top Of Yep
pelins and have guns there to fire against a'ro-
planes; and there have been reports that II was
being planned 10 have one or TWO aeroplanes
equipped with guns on the platform Of the dirigi-
bles ready TO start out to fght approaching aero
lanes.
DEVICES or AMERICAN INVENTION WILL
FIGURE LARGELY IN WAR OF THE AIR.
Whatever aerial warfare there will be- it will
be carried out in large part with devices Of
American invention. II is an ironical fact that
the best housekeeping devices and the best arr
craft guns are American INSTRUMENTATION
which are being adopted by all the first and sec
ond class powers except the United States
The first aeroplsne gun 20 show its efficiency
was the Lewis automatic gun, the invention Of
Lieutenant Colonel /. ~ Lewis, L. S A. This
gun is air.cOOled, weighs % pounds ounces, and
shoots the service small-srms ammunition. The
rate Of firing can be adjusted BY controlling the
gas used in the operation from about 300 to 700
a minute Fifty cartridges placed in drum
and this drum is slipped spindle on the
gun
The Lewis gun was tested by the United States
army authorities and found Efficient, but they
we're not interested in acquiring any. The Euro
pesn countries greatly interested, and soon
Colonel Lewis had offers from England, Russia
and Belgium. which he accepted Lieutenant
Riley L. Scott the inventor Of the Scott bomb
dropping device went through the same expert
enee. Not receiving any encouragement, he went
10 Europe. entered the French Michelin bomb
dropping contest and the first prize. placing
twelve out Of fifteen 15-pound bombs in a target
Of 60 feet diameter from height Of 800 feet
Another American invention which is intended
10 enable fast aeroplanes 10 destroy slower
dirgibles and seroplanes may be used.
This new and most terrible device, the inven-
ton Of Joseph A. steinmetz Of Philadelphia,
member Of the Aero Club Of America and vice
president Of the Aero Club II Pennsylvania, is
creating sensation IN military circles With
this device fast serOpane practically fishes for
other aeroplAnes with hook ana line and when
the hook catches bomb attached to il ex-
podes and skaters the aircraft TO which it is
hooked The thing il practical in every way.
last aeropane has a controlling advantage over
SLOW one. even II the excess Of speed is but FIVE
n or ter miles an hour. Likewise almost any
81 standard seroplane has 8 travelling range great
enough TO permit ii TO venture out within
radius OF from 100 TO 200 miles 70 attack the
enemy's aircraft In neither case does the crew OF
the attacking serOpane risk more than, possibly
not ss much as, an ordinary scout. Yet how tire.
mendous the possibilities Of putting the enemy's
air feet out Of commission
Aeroplanes equipped WITH such devices would
be deadly menace to arships magazines, sheds,
sbios ir repair and un9er construction Airships