The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-01

Managing Editor of "F,,ing,"
member of the dirigibIe and ma
rine Aging committees of the Aero
Club of America.
TT has been only within the past month
or so that the possibility Of an at
L tack on London by Zeppellns has
been brought home to the English
man. True, he had given it passing
thought before, but not until the people
Of Paris fell under the shadow Of Ger
man airships and reports came from
Germany that a great aerial fleet was
being organized did the Englishman
prick up his ears and decide that, like
the Frenchman, he had something tam
gible to fear in particular, despatch
from The Hague said:
German newspapers reaching here
indicate that Count Zeppelin is now at
Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea with
his staff, and that Wilhelmshaven Is the
point from which the great air raid on
the British Isles is to start one OF
these papers publishes an interview with
the Count, In which he is quoted as say
ing that he had not forgotten England
Hardly had these reports come from
Germany than London began to insure
itself against Zeppelin attack. Said a
London newspaper a few days later:
To-day Lloyds had a number of orders
for insurance of private property in the
city and immediate nelghborhood. The
underwriters are willing TO accept much
lower premiums than in the early days
Of the war, and large number of pri-
yate dwellings are being covered at 3
shillngs 6 pence per cent, the policy
insuring against damage of all descrip-
ton due to hostilities."
Antwerp has now fallen into German
bands-the Antwerp that Napoleon said
was a pistol pointed at England's
heart" 1t Is interesting to note what
J. L. Garvin wrote in the Observer con-
corning the Importance of Antwerp as
an aerial base for Germany. Said he:
Antwerp will be considered in Germany
as far better basis than has hitherto
been available for alrship operations
against London and the ports on both
shores of the Channel"
But Irrespective of Antwerp's value as
= base for alrships, one cold fact which
London has TO face Is this: II Is but
800 miles from Cologne, and less than
IVV miles more from DuSstluOTI, VII
felmshaven and CuXhaven, and Zeppe-
Inns could cover that distance easily.
For the first time in history the air.
ship has played its part in a great
campaign in the present war. Up to
September 81 the British armen had
flown $1,000 miles. The aeroplane has
more than met the expectations as to
its utility in war and there is little eX-
aggeration in saying that it has revv-
iutionized one whole department Of tao
tics.
So much for the aeroplane. How
about the dirigible. and the Zeppelin in
particular? What it has accomplished
has been clothed in secrecy. For this
reason England is wondering just how
much damage 1t can do and under what
conditions it can do damage.
Every one has wondered why the
Zeppelin attack on London has been so
long deferred, for there are at least
two large parks OF machines ready for
use, one presumably intended for use
over land and the other for attacking
the English ships. There are multi
tude OF explanations for this delay. Avi-
ators generally consider the Zeppelin
too vulnerable to aeroplane attack to
be dangerous; so why shouldn't Ger
at it as the Germans probably do, why
risk the Zeppelns until the way is clear
for them?
The scare that London now expert
ences is not the first scare OF the kind
II has had. 1t was the German Yep
pelin and the fright it gave Engishmen
that made England enter the contest
for aerial supremacy
on the night of October II, 1912. a
sensation was caused throughout Eng
land when inhabitants of Sheerness said
they had seen n large dirigible in the
air over the English coast. At first
II was taken as a joke. But when 1t
became known that on that date the
new Zeppelin LII was out on a thirty
one hour cruise and that its itinerary
had never been made public the alarm
grew and the subject was discussed in
the House of Commons and the Govern
ment asked to get an explanation from
the German Government. Subsequently
more reports of airships navigating
over different points of the British coast
at night stirred the British nation to
CONSERVATION, and while these cond-
tons existed the German Reichstag
adopted plan to spend s35,5OOOO
on military aeronautics-s12,5O 500 900
through the navy and $4,000 900
through the army.
That was the first time England reck-
oned with the Zeppelin. Public and
press joined In condemnation of those
responsible for allowing England to get
into such a position that had war broken
out then she would have been without
an aerial fleet The British Navy League
held an extraordinary meeting at the
Mansion House, London. al which thu
Lord Mayor presided. The meeting was
attended by many people of influence
As a result of that meeting the British
Government was asked to provide &
substantial air fleet. This demand belnl
unanimously backed by public and press
the Government took immediate steps Il
firm a substantial aeronautical organi-
zation.
Thus did the English learn tina
within seven hours the eat dread
noughts of the air on German terr,or,
could steal across the sky and hans
menacingly over London.
The great radius of action OF the Yep
pelns, both old and new enables then
Ia work from bases far from the seen,