Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-09-15
GERMAN SUPERIORITY IN AIR
Philadelphia Aviator Tells of Strenuth
of Zeppeiins.

Germany's superior air craft and it's
record holding aviators will offset the
acknowledged strength Of the English
and Russian fleets, and will be deter
mining factor in the European war, in
the opinion of Marshall Earl Reid, the
Philadelphia aviator.
Aviation will play the most impor-
tant part in this war;" he said recent
ly. Il believe that the work Of the air
fleets will be Of more Importance in the
war than that of the infantry, cavalry
or artillery Of the army or the guns OF
the navy. In locating the enemy and
reporting the position, air craft will
take the place Of the cavalry for the
first time in history. Aviators will
prevent ambush and surprises.
Six months ago France held the
majority of the records in endurance,
sustained flights and ability to carry
weights; today Germany holds all rec
ords but that Of speed. She has spent
millions on her air fleet, and has vir-
tually perfected the air motor.
The Zeppelin airship will be the
most deadly weapon Of Germany.
Those big ships just slip through the
air. They can go fifty miles an hour
now, and we know that a record Of
thirty hours sustained flight has been
made. 1 believe they can do better,
but the kaiser has not shown his hand.
am of the opinion, and my opinion is
backed by a number Of naval officers,
that the Zeppelin ships could have
crossed the Atlantic without any trou-
BILE a year ago. But the kaiser didn't
care to let this be known to the whole
world.
"A Zeppelin can appear over a city
at night, drop 100 pounds Of dynamite
and cause untold havoc.
"Aeroplanes, as developed by the
Germans and French, can go 100 miles
out to sea, and from a height Of 1000
feet annihilate fleet. No guns have
a range to reach a machine directly
above the ship. One bomb dropped into
the smokestack of dreadnaught would
break the ship in half. That's hard
shot, but domb dropping is so developed
by the Germans and French that they
can hit a mark fifty feet square nine
times out of twelve in less than min
ute An invention by an American,
Lieut.. Scott, makes possible this ac-
curate shooting. The bombs are pear
shaped, covered with light Steel with
a plunger on the end. When the plung-
er hits cap is ignited and the eXplo-
sion occurs. The bombs are winged so
that their downward flight is virtually
in a straight line"
Zeppelin ships are we'll equipped for
battles in the air, Reid says. They are
virtually invulnerable, so far as shots
from the ground are concerned, as the
big aluminium, silk covered envelope is
a mere patch at 1000 feet, and the en-
velope is divided into sixteen separate
compartments. 1t would not collapse
until six or more were destroyed. Bull
let holes would have no effect, he said
Through the centre Of the envelope a
circular staircase six feet in diameter
leads to a platform on the top Of the
ship. Here a machine gun with an
overhead range can protect the ship
from an aeroplane which succeeds in
getting overhead.
Russians he said, have an aeroplane
about which there is much curiosity.
All news of it has been kept secret. 1t
is called the Sikorski machine, and the
inventor built six at the command of
the czar. 1t has a record, Reid says Of
sustained flight for six hours with six
teen passengers. 1t is twice as large
as the America, built by Curtis to cross
the Atlantic, and has four 1OO-horse
power Austro- Daimler engines. This
little-known ship may spring some sur
prises on the Germans.-Philadelphia
North American.