Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-01-15


two years time. Most of them have
agreed to serve a lengthy term. Mar
ried lei are not encouraged to enroll
In this branch of the service. It is OBJ
vious from the nature of the work that
the hazards are often great.
The wonderful system Of the Ger
man war machine has been installed
with rare detail In the aerial corps.
The equipment Of the different sta
lions Is really marvellous, for every
thing human ingenuity has been able
to devise concerning the dirigible you
will find in application. Fac station
is fully equipped and is an absolutely
independent center in itself. Take the
base at Helgoland. 1t is the newest
and the one that is always cloaked
with secrecy.
Guarding the Dlriplbles.
At the extreme eastern corner Of
the island of Helgoland one sees, amid
the sandy dunes. three vast oblong
iron-gray structures. At a distance
they are not unlike overgrown gas
ometers. l say at a distance, for 1t is
impossible for any visitor to get
within a thousand yards of the sta
ton. The solitary approach is guard
ed by a triple post of the marine
guard. II you walk toward the sta
ton, before you come within a hun
bred yards of the guard, you will find
large signs setting forth in unfnistak-
able and terse language that dire and
swift penalties follow any further ex-
ploration In that direction. Not only
English but German visitors to Helgo-
land have found out that even the
slightest infringement of the rules of
these signs is dangerous. shall, how
ever, take you a little closer.
Walking on until you are within fifty
yards of the great balloon sheds, you
pause before a tall fence of barbed
wire, this connected with an elaborate
alarm bell system that sounds in the
two guard houses. For instance, II
al enterprising secret agent of France
were to try and steal up on the sta
ton, II he came by night and cut
through the barbed wire, a series of
bells would Immediately sound the
general alarm.
Having passed through the six
strands Of barbed wire q tall octag-
onal tower meets the eye. In this
tower are installed two powerful
searchlights as well as a complete
wireless outfit. All the Zeppelins carry
wireless. BY means of elaborate re-
Electors 1t is possible with the search
lights to food the whole place with
daylight in the middle of night. Thus
ascensions can be made safely at any
hour of the tw~enty-four.
The three oblong sheds stand in a
row. the middle being the largest, hav-
Ing spaces for two complete dirigibles,
while the other sheds house but one
each. They are about 500 feet long.
200 feet broad and 100 feet high. The
whole structure itself can be shifted
to about an angle of forty degrees,
this being worked on a plan similar to
the railroad engine ~turntable. The rea-
son for it is that with the veering of
the wind the sheds are turned so that
the doors will be placed advantageous
ly for the removal of the airship.
Guarding Hamburg From Sky.
The whole layout and the vast area
of space show that it Is the govern
ment's intention still further to In
crease the plant. In fact, on my last
visit to Helgoland-and 1t was nearly
three years ago-I say the evidence
of another shed about to be built.
At the station is the most efficient me.
neurological department of all the sta.
tions. The most sensitive and up-to.
date instruments connected with this
science are there in duplicate and the
highest experts Germany can produce
are in charge of the department.
Helgoland has long been a sore spot
of British diplomacy. Seized from
Denmark in 1907, it was formally
coded to England in 1914; now it is a
menace to her. While Lord Salisbury
was prime minister of England he
conceived what he believed to be a
shrewd diplomatic move. He offered
Bismarck Helgoland in exchange for
some East African concessions, and 1t
became a German possession in 1890.
Helgoland is now the key and guard
Of Germany's main artery Of com.
merce, being the key to Hamburg.
With the dirigible station Of Helgoland
to guard her, Hamburg is considered
impregnable.
Let us consider n of these new
war monsters, the latest and most
powerful. the x Is. The latest Zeppe.
Inns. charged with the newly discoy.
cred dioxygenous gas. giving these
sky ~battleships triple lifting capacity;
the perfecring OF the Diesel motor,
giving enormous horsepower percent
age with light fuel consumption fifty
Of these Diesel engines, their work.
ings secret to the German govern
ment. are stored under guard at the