Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-18
WEAPON FEARED MOST
BY DEADLY ZEPPELINS
WAS INVENTED HERE
Joseph A. Steinmetz, a
Philadelphian, Only Man
Who Has Produced Sue
cessful Means of Com
batting Air Forts.

The most spectacular h-dealing de-
Philadelphia.
Sweeping down from a lowering aero
plane and sinking its clawllke hooks into
the envelope of an invading Zeppelin, 1t
eXplodes a bomb which shakes the huge
alrship like leaf in the wind and sends
II shudderlng to earth--a crumpled wreck.
1t is the most spectacular weapon which
the Allies have brought into play, and is
regarded by British authorities as the
most effective means of attacking the
superdreadnoughts of the clouds. 1t was
invented by Joseph A. Stenmetz. OF 1856
Westview avenue. Germantown, of jan
ney, steinmetz q Co.. ith and Market
streets.
1t was probably this "made-in- -Philadel-
phia" Zeppelin destroyer which put one of
the German craft to rout in a battle two
miles above the North Sea, as the world
read In yesterdays news. Lord Kitchener
has adopted the device for use by British
aeroplanes, and II Is regarded in London
as the surest means OF lighting possible
air raids on that city.
The trailing bomb which Mr. Steinmetz
devised is being used by the British gov
eminent under an arrangement by which
1t will be paid for at the close OF the
war. Great Britain needed the weapon
In hurry. There was no time to haggle
over terms. The Steinmetz device was
protected by patent, so he shipped 1t to
the English capital, where his interests
are protected by his solicitors.
Each bomb is attached to a mile of
steel wire, wound on a spool attached
10 the aeroplane. which has the same
relation to Zeppelin that torpedo boat
destroyer has to a torpedo boat. When
the aeroplane flies above the airship the
steel wire can be let out by the operator.
measuring device tells him how far the
bomb has fallen and its descent can be
checked by pressure OF finger. When
IL has reached a proper distance the aero
plane nies. like a fisher who is trawlIng,
so that the hooks of the bomb will catch
the covering OF the dig ship II rips
through the envelope. catching the craft
with sure grip. and Instantly the bomb
explodes. Part OF the Zeppelin Is dam
aged beyond repair. The whole airnhip
Is shaken. 1t may catch fire, other at
taeks may demolish II or the single bomb
may destroy so vital a part that IL will
sink TO earth, carrying Its crew 10 death
other means intended to repel Zeppe-
Inns have failed. The German air-forts
are as long as an ocean liner, made up
OF separate gas compartments To pune
ture one OF these sections by gun hre
does not materially diminish the speed
OF the Zeppelin or endangeF II. Ex-
perience has shown that the only sure
way to attack the invaders Is to use
bombs large enough 10 tear out larger
section. In meeting Zeppelins with aer-
oplanes IL Is impossible 10 use heavy guns,
because OF the nature OF the aeroplanes,
The steinmetz apparatus Is described
by scientists as one OF the simplest yet
one OF the most terrible instruments OF
death ever conceived by man. II Is
called the first really effective means OF
cireumventing the flying death" the
bomb-dropping zeppslins