Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-19
BEST THOUGHT IN AMERICA
DIGEST OF THE MAGAZINES

dare be sure that the Germans are not stlu
holding them back for gigantic surprise.
a. MacMechen, who is president Of the Aero.
nautical Society of America, writes very
knowingly of them in Everybody's (O:
or my own knowledge, and not by rutnor
know that the Germans are building feet
OF giant airships, already numbering 4S, with
Count Zeppelin himself as commandment.
chief OF all the air forces. | know that Ger
many means to strike with her Zeppelins--
strike hard. What will they do? We may
have the answer as these lines go TO press
Inc zeppelin enterprise in virtually six
years has grown like gigantic tree, with
its roots imbedded in 20 industries, and Its
branches reaching out not only to the mill
tary establishment, but into everyday affairs
Besides his work of invention and building
Count Zeppelin has induced civic bodies and
banking interests, even cities themselves. to
furnish the money for building the great
chain of revolving airship docks that stretch
across the whole of Germany. He organized
the navigation company which operates four
passenger Zeppelins, and has interested
municipalities in constructing new streets
and extending street railways to these
docks. He got the Government weather
service to supply the intimate news OF the
upper air for the regular and safe opera:
tion of airship lines. He has even convinced
insurance companies that the risk on pas
senger airships is a good risk. He has kept
poor engineering geniuses at work evolving
motors, and has equipped splendid laDora.
tories where homeless scientists spent
months arriving at vital truths.
There is so much glamour and pageantry
In the very thought of an Iron Cross, tne
decoration bestowed by the Kaiser for con-
spicuous bravery, that it gives one distinct
jolt to find a description in the sclenhnc
American of how they are turned out whole
sale by electricity "a:
Iron Crosses are by no means produced W
,laN. 1Nfn
stamped out with a punching machlne ale
struck with steel dies on powerful presses
provided with big electric driving motors, 4sns
p After being prepared and tested, the ss,s mVs
Crosses are taken to the silversmiths' wnsls
the soldering is done, fine silver poirss TSa
added and the finishing completed. ny
border is polished on electrically driven pO''
ishing and grinding motors.
An article on Burning Glasses" py r. D.
Maclay, in the North American Review takss
us back to a quaint glimpse OF ceh'ui'
ago. and gives besides grim sense Oh our ~
creasing complacence in destroying hun'AA
life (5):
One hundred years ago. when sclence aiv ahv
the mechanical arts were in compaL1an,r nm
primitive stage of development LoIu kIch
donald created an engine OF wariaTe, wars, navy
the highest authorities in the Ensunshs unshsacLsd
declared to be so terrible that II ls,vssn
humanity" and would render wars pe'"'s-
nations impossible. A.. prltIsh
While engaged in researches IN the ,nonhl4i nril4i
Museum, the writer found small paiys.tha ~ .ha
published in London toward the Close close.sn,ion ~
18th century, which described an lhN,o.II,nsd
of burning glasses" whereby 1t was ciat la,srt
that man was enabled to grasp lhe .hsm Al
able bolts of Jove himself" and hurl iIs tn am.
his enemies. 1t fills out with conVlhGiiasd Tor
pltude every detail of what was ciAl'h'u
Dundonald's destroyer. Ia, Aaviee
The essential idea of this slhs nAred
was the arrangement OF seVeTal nsles As
mirrors in a great frame, at sueh "a su tbs sun
10 catch and concentrate the rays oI 10y ss so
on any desired spot. Their power pS,,ieky
great as to explode any magazine, ,,ss gst ne
set all woodwork in flame ana 10 ,so Gso7 came
instant death of any human being WIZ Wnnorching
within the influence of their
breath. IA lonE
With the advent of high power anu anocnaf ,
range ordnance, the terror or TINS An
engine of destruction disappears. ~ ihs,n.,ninx
ferent form, however. the ancient ssctof
glasses" promise to become potens ntlIz-
in land and sea contests. instead VI made
ing sun ray, Italian inventors hSFe ay by
experiments with the violet or ios1yn,Iods
means OF which they claim they can esFSi rs
the magazine of any fort or snip q. a..ish the
tance OF 9 miles. Their successes ,mina 10
wireless telegraph entitle their S''rroTnd-
serious consideration. Conditions sun SUI IA.
ing the mysterious explosion wIni bsye
stroyed the British battleship BulwaiS ,.as
led some experts to believe that sA0
XJictiD, ~ this new method OF attack.