The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-09-12
GERMANY'S SKY
NAVY POWERFUL
KAISER HAS TWELVE AERIAL
DREADNAUGHTS NOW IN
USE

The terror which a threatened
night attack by naval airships in
stills can only be appreciated by an
understanding of what these levia-
thans of the sky really are and what
power of destruction they possess,
says the Oakland Enquirer.
Germany has today twelve aerial
dreadnaughts of the IL III" type. as
a part of her sky navy, any one of
which has a ~potentiality of destruc-
ton that is astounding. Could any
one of these huge d%estroyers be navi-
gated with high precision it might
reduce any fortress in Christendom.
almost as soon as it could be reach
ed. Such an engine of destruction
can set fires going in cities
than a score of fire departments
could successfully cope with. while
it's power to destroy human life, if
used to its utmost capacity for evil,
is literally limitless.
Zeppelin 81 III" is a huge air.
ship" the body of which is more
than $50 feet long, nearly 100 feet
in diameter owe all; carrying fOur
cabins, each equipped with a $50
h. p. motor, a navigation compart-
ment well forward, side platforms
for artillery below, with an artillery
deck atop on the middle line of
the gas bag. where a heavy cannon
is placed. She carries a navigating
crew of 26 artillerists.
The displacement of this type of
airship is $4,000 cubic meters. which
supports a useful load of Over eight
tons. With this she can rise to 1900
feet and can travel, without stop,
for so hours at the rate of GO miles
per hour under normal air condi-
tons. AS part of her equipment she
carries a 10000 candle power search
light, capable of Illuminating the
ground from an altitude of $500
feet. This latter is flashed intermit-
tently, as bombs are cast.
The pOt%entiality of these diaboli-
cal devices. used up to their full de-
structive strength, is appalling E.
They are capable of carrying tons
of the highest explosive. against the
destructive action of which there is
no known means of defense. They
may carry devices capable of spread
ing confiagration incalculable.
Thus far in Europe's war these
German Zeppelins have been little
used, except for long-distance scout
ing. Save only for the single as
sault upon Antwerp. they have been
principally confined to chartering the
enemies country, locating troops
camps, batteries and roads. And
to what extent they have been thus
used is uncertain.
At wal attitudes these Zeppelins
are now absolutely silent. With
their great internal resources they
may hover nightly above the enemy,
watching from dark till dawn-map-
ping. counting, studying his posi-
ton and his action-their presence
all unsupported. They may lower
an observer 5000 feet in a shielded
cage, at the end of a wire, there, in
silence and O~bscurity, to make closer
scrutiny, to transmit his Observa-
tons by wire to the navigating room.
half a mile up there in the darkness,
to answer inquiries from army head
quarters 100 to 500 miles away, with
which the navigating officers of his
ship are in constant touch by wire
less. Before daylight comes upon
thn thic c1nIfh NAV CtnaI hack
to safety within it's own lines. bear
ing information which places the
enemy, all unaware that he has been
spied upon, at fatal disadvantage.
The full play of the Z%eppelins
will be felt in this war, after the
French a%eroplanes are out of the
French cities, established in the
field with the French armies. These
aeroplane of the dirigibles
are to be avoided, as one of them
may destroy wen a naval Zeppelin
in close combat, and the latter can
not readily be replaced. French d.
rigibles scarcely count, as they can
carry no real I'M on their gas
holders, and are hopelessly outclass-
ed in speed.
When a freer opportunity arrives
the Zeppelin will be turned loose
upon it's errand of destruction, and
woe be unto the city or fortress at
tackled by it. The Germans are not
risking them now, but when they
are ready, in the due course of their
strategy. havoc will be let loose
from heaven such as has not been