Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-08
ON THE JOB DAY AND NIGHT
Monster Airships Being Prepared to
Send Against Foes of per
fidious Albion"
DREADED BOMBS IN BASKET
Special Pocket Carries Fifty Torpedo
Explosives.
EACH IS LIKE 1e.NCH GUN
One of These, During Trial Near
Friedrichshafen, Penctrates the
Earth Five Yards.

GENEVA, Switzerland Dec. T.-Ger-
many is slowly but steadily preparing to
make its threatened aerial attack on Lon
don and on the eastern coast OF England,
even without the aid OF the German navy,
in the Judgment of observers OF the con-
tinued activity at the Zeppelin works at
Friedrichshaten.
AT this factory on Lake Constance more
than 1000 worlSmen since the beginning
of the war have been employed In the
construction of dirigible balloons. instead
OF a normal working force OF 400 men.
In place of the usual working period OF
eight hours day, the men, who are all
experts. have been divided into day and
night shifts of twelve hours' each, SO
that more than 800 are always engaged.
All the finished materials and fittings,
as well as sections of the airship en-
velopes. arrive from other parts of Ger
many. ready made and the workmen at
Frledrichshafen have only to put them
together This makes 1t possible to build
a Zeppelin in three weeks.
Sails 10 North.
The latest and strongest Zeppelin ever
built, sailed to the north November s. di-
rect from the Friedrichshafen works.
without any previous trial trips II is
considerably longer than It's predecessor
and its motive power consisted OF three
motors OF 500 horsepower. II carried n
crew OF fifty officers and men. In a
special basket this Zeppelin carried fifty
torpedo bombs, each said to be capable
of as much damage as the shells of tho
famous slxteen-inch guns.
One OF the bombs, during trial near
Friedrichshafen, penetrated the earth
five yards. All the zeppelins built since
the beginning of the war have been armed
similarly. Dreadnought'' Zeppelins were
launched August Is, September 80 and "a,
october Is and November 8, and two
others OF the same type at the beginning
of August, making a total of seven.
Cam Resist Attack.
These formidable aerial vessels are said
to be able to resist successfully any areo-
plane attack They can sail with a
weight OF two or three tons; they have
seventeen to eighteen independent gas
compartments and water planes that will
allow them to land on water, II neces-
sary. and. continue their flight later. AT
Friedrichshafen they are called marine
airships," and in small letters on their
hulls are painted the significant words,
Meant for London"
Officially in Germany there have been
built up to the present thirty-one zeppe-
Inns, but only the most recent dozen
count with the military authorities.
Work of Captive BnEs.
The older ships are employed in drop
ping casual bombs on towns. but other
wise doing the work OF captive balloons.
their places as scouts having been taken
by aeroplanes The new airships are be-
ing kept in reserve. It is asserted. for the
raid on England. and especially London.
The German staff and Count Zeppelin
are understood to hold the opinion that
eighteen to twenty zeppelins OF the latest
type are necessary for a successful at
tack on London, and this number is ex-
pected 10 be ready early next year.
All the latest airships carry several ma
chine guns on special platforms and one
large gun each.