Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-09-17

slow In flight, and the scout ~ no &,
willy, should be able to keep out Of rsngo
What VIII be n grave peril for him. par.
ticularly If the weather conditions co,n.
pei him to descend fairly low in makina
his OBSERVATIONS, is the fire from CON.
cealed batteries of guns, placed specially
In certain areas for the "wfnrinp" nj
aircraft. These guns, hidden in hedges
and woods, and under artificial str,c.
lures, Will be employed without doub,
with serious effect.
In war, risks must he tnyen Tboro.
fore, If need be, and to gain inforna-
ton that is vital, the air scout will ev
low. And If he is flying low. and has
the i'll luck to pass, without being avare
Of 1t, over one of these concealed batter
les, his craft may be struck and sent
crashing to the earth.
A second type of scouting machine.
ana a very valuable one, is the large,
weight carrying biplane which will be
used for detailed reconnaissance Carry
Ing In some cases n pilot, Observer and
wireless operator, such n craft will cs-
cend and fly perhaps for several hundred
miles, covering a wide tract of land and
making observations with a completeness
that would be impossible with n biph
speed, single seated machine.
Alrships. OF which GERMANY has about
n dozen really large and powerful era ~
may he used as weapons of destruction
not so much for the actual damage tbov
can do, even with n fairly heavy load
of bombs, but for the adverse effcct ,boir
attacks may nave upon tn, nerves. of
troops-particularly If missiles are dron-
ped upon them when they are in hivorac
or on the march.
But 1t must be remembered that the
number Of airships possessed nv tho
combatants Is strictly limited, and that
their work as long-distance scouts NAV
be or priceless value. It Is more likely.
therefore,, that they will be used as
scouts than as engines OF destruction
OF course there may be execution, to
this rule. 1t may be thought worth vhi,o
to send an airship to attack limos op
communication or destroy a bridge with
bombs; but In such cases II will havo IN
reckon with the enemy's warplanes In
this regard it must be remembered ,b,+
nirship speeds are now ~hlgh-near,y co
miles an hour having been attained-and
that an armed aeroplano. from tba
weight of its armament, has its speed
reduced until 1t is not much greater than
that of the airshlp.
Ana the airship, thanks to its weight
Iiftlng capacity. can raise heavier
weapons than the aeroplane.
Latest type airships also have n Mat
form on the tops Of their hulls on which !
a gun Is mounted. In this way they can
resist an attack from above.
1t Is now stated in this regard that
there is a risk, when such n top-platrorm
gun Is fired, Of ~ignlting small gas escapes
that may occur from the compartment
below. These facts it is only fair 70 state
In Justice to tho airship, which Is re-
garded sometimes as a huge and heln,ess
quite at the mercy of an aero
plane.
AS n matter Of fact. the modern airship
ehould be likoned to a battloship. and the
'ehtlnS aeroplane to a cruiser. Several
OF the latter will, whenever possible.
make a concerted attack upon an air
snip; and then craftsmanship and daring
must tell their tale.
Such combats should, however end
generally in favor of the a~erop,a .
The airship, If it is flying in the DAYTIME
near an encmy's position, and unless
t is at a considerable hei3ht. Will run
eaVy risk Of damage fro. artillery IRE
If a single aeroplane comes on an afr
'iip' ana 1t Is vital that the latter should
'e put out of action, the aeroplane n,lot
nay ADOPT the heroic plan OF driving his
'rait straight into his bulky foe. and
rlpphnE her at the expense Of his own l.
me- but IT is Just possible in this case