El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-11
ZEPPELINS To
COMBAT GREAT
FLEETS IN AIR
France, Russia and England
to Send Aerials Against
Kaiser's Aircraft.

New York. Aug. 1.-THE great con-
flict now raging among the powers OF
Europe. promises not only to be a
struggle for supremacy on land and
sea but for supremacy in the air as
well France. Russia and England viii
send their vast air fleets against the
giant Zeppelins OF the Germans.
IN a measure. the present European
war will settle for all time the relative
merits Of the aeroplane and the dirigi-
bic balloon as engines Of destruction
In the development Of the latter type
Of aircraft Germany stands supreme
She has nine Of the giant Zeppelins
fully equipped. and five more nearing
completion Work or -7ese IS beng
rushed with all possible speed They
range from $50 to 525 feet in length
are equipped with motors giving from
350 to 420 horse power, and carry ngnl
three inch guns which have been sue
cessfully fired in maneuvers- They
speed through the air at the rate OF
40 or so miles an hour
German and Austrian Dirigibles-
All the Zeppelins are OF the rlgld
type, the outer shell and frame work
being Of aluminium construction IN
side the frame work are the SILK bags,
as many as II in some OF the largest
types, filled with hydrogen gas The
advantage OF a number Of small bags,
lies in the ability OF the airship to keep
afloaU even with one or more Of the
bags punctured or otherwise out OF
commission
Austria also has several rigid dirigi-
bles and italy has three or four II
Italy joins in with Germany and Aus
tria. the triple alliance will have at its
disposal 81 Of this type Of aircraft
On the other hand England, France
and Russia can muster "a gas bag air
ships but they are all much smaller
than the Zeppelins and are Of non rigid
or semi rigid type
The triple Entente, formed by these
three countries. will pin their faith to
their aeroplanes rather than to the bal
looms II is estimated that the Entente
has 1850 aeroplanes against the 200 OF
alliance. France, especially, has de-
velOped the army aeroplane to high
state Of efficiency and uses both the
monoplane and the biplane, although
the former predOminates For scout
ing work. the s-.onoplane has proved
TO be more successful because OF the
greater speed Il can attain and the
fewer chances Of discovery by the army.
Italians Best Trained
The italian aviarors are the only air
men who have received actual training
in aerial warfare The Italians success
fully used aeroplanes in their cam
paign in TripOi and also attained a GER
tain measure OF success with semi rigid
dirigibles
England has one fast. though small
EAUAG dLAaEAE4 10 Atl navy ms IS
the Torres ", which recently made 81
miles an hour against q u mile wind
II is Of the non rigid type and can be
debated and placed aboard a warship-
The Vickers and Armstrong firms are
now constructing two rigid airships for
the British admiralty. These. when
completed. viii resemble the Zeppelius-
England also has one naval parsevaI.
go feet long. The Astra Torres is
slightly smaller. There are also four
other airships. 100 TO $50 feet in length
France Has Is DiriEfbles-
France has Is dirigibles attached 10
her army These range from 215 TO 325
feet in length The Spiess. the largest
Of the French fleet. is rigid There is
also under construction another Spiess
which will be $50 feet long.
Austria has but three airships in con-
ditiOn for use, a collision about a month
ago having destroyed one Of the AUS
trian army balloons.
Little is known OF the Russian dirigi-
bles- She has Is small low speed craft.
Like England and France she has con-
cenrrated on the aerOplaue