Evening journal., 1916-09-16
zeppelin RAIDS
Do LITTLE HARM
Fifteen Thousand Bombs
Kill Only $50 Wound
$50 in Britain
ALL ATTACKS AIMED
IN THE DARKNESS

LONDON, Sept. Tn the last two
years there have been forty-one Yep
pelin raids on NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
in 1915 and eighteen in 1916, including
the one last Sunday morning. This
summary does not take into account
the many aero and seaplane attacks
and the numerous abortive attempts,
which have been driven back at the
coast or baked by shifting winds and
misty weather.
II in these raids we take three Yep
pelins as the average number and al
low three tons of explosive and incen-
diary bombs as the capacity of each
dirigible, we have an aggregate of $40
tons of death-dealing missiles. Sup
posing each bomb weighs so pounds,
we have approximately $4,000 as the
number dropped on England or in the
North Sea in the last two years. or
course. It is possible that the German
authorities are the only persons who
know the real figures, but l thing the
rough estimate above is not far wrong.
Only $50 Killed.
The British government has made
public the number of casualties al
ter each raid, and these Aggregate
$50 dead and $50 wounded This
means that it has taken more than a
ton of German bombs for every Brit
ish man. woman and child who has
been killed. It is interesting to re-
call that a military expert once fg-
ured that for every soldier 1t killed
the enemy must eXpend his weight
n lead. Before the British perfected
their defenses against air attack the
loss Of life was much greater. the
casualties steadily decreasing as the
difficulties of attack Increased.
Slice the war began it has been
definitely reported that fourteen Yep
pelins have been wrecked, the real
number.is is probably much larger. II Is
estimated that 1t costs at least $780,
600 to build a Zeppelin. Multiplying
this sum by IA. we have S3.5OO 900 as
the amount the Germans have lost
through the wrecking Of leppelins
alone. This sum would build 500
y aeroplanes at $1,000 each. 35 subma-
rines at 100000 each. or pay for 7O,-
300 shells at $500 each. These four
teen Zeppelins did no military dam
age; their only value to Germany has
been in reconnaissance work over the
North Sea.
Initial cost Small
The initial cost of a Zeppelin is only
a small item The sheds or hangers 70
house one of these air birds, the fuel
for a single trip, the small army OF me-
cbanics, who never leave the base; the
cost Of manufacture of the gas, must all
he considered. Under the best of condi-
tions and luck the life OF a Zeppelin Is
short. for the terrific throb of its high
powered engines soon racks the frame
work
Looking at it as a straight bushes:
proposition .it would be interesting tc
know whether the German authorities
consider Count Zeppelin's attacks on
England are worth the cost. Certainly
it IS safe 10 say the odds in favor of the
Zeppelin have materially decreased IN
the last year.
The fiasco Of the biggest raid-the one
Of September 2-3--is almost unbeliev
able even to us living here and in a
position TO learn the truth. Undoubt
edly stories will be told in America by
returning visitors of destroyed cities
and hundreds of dead. Certainly they
will appear in the German press. have
visited the scene Of many raided places
and in no instance have I seen an Off
cial British report which failed to give
an accurate account of the damage a.
TO the loss Of life and injury to prop
erty. Zeppelin bombs have smashed
houses, stores, churches. factories, but
always the thought has been not that
the damage was so great but so small
Small Losses Found.
IF fifty pounds of dynamite were
placed under a corner Of New York
City Hall most persons would like to
be on the far side of Broadway OF
Nassau street. but fifty pounds OF an
explosive more powerful than dyna-
mite have fallen nearly two miles
landed alongside a hospital and not a
single person within injured,
II every Zeppelin bomb found the
mark at which Il was aimed the dam
age would be considerable, but. flyinf
at the height they are forced to, II
Is merely a matter OF luck when they
score a hit. Their batting average Is
something a little less than blind
folded man facing Walter Johnson
on a cloudy day. Whenever a Zeppe-
lin is flying low and comes in range
of a searchlight and anti-aircraft gun
or guns the commander Immediately
points his bow at the stars and or
ders the crew to dump over some
bombs. Often a half dozen of them fall
within a radius Of a hundred feet. and
not one lands where il will do any
damage. Then encounter many search
lights and guns.
Zeppelin Over England.
When a Zeppelin reaches Englan,
the ship does not travel along n
cruising speed. but the comman lei
lets her rip"
Dpopping bombs while going a mil,
minute at an altitude Of 10000 fec
is not conducive to accurate MARKS
manship. Even at only 500 feet a Yep
pelin has heen unable TO hit a trawlei
as it slowly twisted and turned in thu
sea. Undoubtedly, before ii leaves III
base every Zeppelin receives explici
orders to bomb a certain place oi
places, and probably the. commands
on his return reports he has accomp
lished his mission.
L. :. BOY AVIATOR DEAD
m M n