Newport daily independent., 1914-10-20
Zeppelin Fleet
 May Attack
British Fleet Simultaneously With Attack Of Germany's
 Sea Craft.

Liege, Sept. 11.-By Courier via Maastricht and Rotterdam to New York. That Germany is preparing an aerial attack or invasion of England with her fleet of. Zeppelins, is the general impression among officers here, so far as I coull get any of them to express an opinion. That same impression is in the public mind in Berlin and elsewhere. Where are all the Zeppelins and what are they doing?" l asked member of the Flying Corps.
 'sJust wait and see," he re- piled. England gave us little surprise off Heligoland. We will give her a little surprise before long,"
 There appear to be but few Zeppelins with the armies in the field. It is dangerous to ask questions or seek information but indications are, and I have been told from various sources, that the Zeppelins are being generally concentrated close to the North Sea. It is said that the completion of several new lZeppelins is being awaited. Just how many Zeppelins Ger many has, no one outside or the government knows. Before the war, the official record was less than I5. There are reasons tor believing that Germany nas more. The Zeppeilns and the 42 Centlmeter mortar are the two mysteries of the war so far. You can take your choice from the stories that are afloat about these two wea- Ipons. Among these are, that the manufactured parts of a large number of Zeppelins had been made at the Zeppelin Works in Friederichshafen and stored ready to be put together when the emergency arose. The Zeppelin Works are said to be working day and night. Both in Berlin and here I have been told that Germany has now a fleet of GA aerial cruisers. From other sources I was told that as soon as a fleet of 30 Zeppelins jcould be sent across the Channel, the aerial attack on England will begin.
 That the Germans will make lsome daring coup with their ae- Trial fleet and that in the near future, there is some reason for believing. It is quite possible that they are merely waiting for la suitable base, Antwerp, Ostend or Calais. The stories of the humber of Zeppelins Germany now has, must be taken for Iwhat they are worth. Aside Mrom the undoubted fact that |Zeppelins are being turned out as fast as possible, no one knows |anything about the size of the fleet except the government off, cials and they won't tell.
 In some quarters the opinion prevails that the English fleet will be attacked by the Zeppelin fleet or simultaneously by the IZeppelins and the German fleet. In other words, the big battle will be fought in the air, on the sea and under the sea, all at the same time.
 1 Although it is somewhat early to draw conclusion, the Zeppe- Ilins have shown in Liege and Antwerp, that as weapon of ofense they far surpass the ae- roplanes. This also has been stated to me by members of the Flying Corps, who have declar- ed that the scouting and recon noitering of the German Cav airy of the Air." has contribut- ed largely to the German suc- cesses, but that as offensive wea- pons the Zeppelins are far supe- rior.
 The German aeroplanes carry |12 one and four pound bombs Ihung in racks on the sides of the machine. The dropping of these bombs through the air sets a lit tie propeller into motion which ! I ,,1A