Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-12

nave Deen Lueres 70 COTTecJ. udVo
been told by English correspondents
that tho report was greatly sxaS-
gerated."
Zeppelin construction has developed
great deal during the war. The three
types have been wonderfully changed.
The largest are the so-called rs. L."
the next are the regular zeppelins. and
the third are the marine airships. The
new Schultz LAM ships are over 500
feet long and have a carrying capa-
city equal to seven normal freight
cars.
EQUIPPED WITH WIRELESS.
AL are equipped with wireless teleg-
raphy and the second officer is usu-
ally the wireless operator. These are
the machines which Germany plans to
use in establishing her commerce
| with the United States Under normal
air conditions. flying at an altitude of
| one thousand feet, I was informed
the Zeppelins would be able to fly
from Hamburg to New York in less
! than two days. The great possibili-
/ ties Of Zeppelin Communication cannot
be foreseen today. For carrying I'M
portant mail and express they can
revolutionize after the war the means
of communication. Passenger service.
too will be established as soon as the
first trips have proved practical Ger
many did not send Zeppelin to New
| York during the war because they
would have to CROSS England and be-
cause there are no German ships ON
the ocean to be of assistance In case
Of an emergency. When Germany be-
gins her Zeppelin communication with
tho United States she VIII have to de-
pend upon her ships at sea for aid in
case the air currents change or in
| case of an accident
[ But for communication with China
and the Far East the time is not far
away when Germany will have plans
made for revolutionizing intercourse
between Europe and those powers. 1
have been told often by Zeppelin ex-
perts that all they need is peace time
condition to perfect the Zeppelins for
this work. At present all Zeppelin
construction Is for war purposes. Air
raids have taught the constructors i'm
portant lessons. The first raid over
Salonih was one Of the most enlight-
enins In this way. On that raid the
Zeppelin was shot almost to pieces,
SO that it barely remained in the air.
But 1t returned safely to it's base, after
being In the air II hours. And en-
route to Hungary the Zeppelin en-
countered a storm. Some of Count
zeppelin's most capable assistants
made the trip, and they received point
ers during this voyage which taught
them how to make important changes
I in the construction of the Zeppelin air
| cases.
ZEPPELIN DARING AVIATOR.
Until his death Count Zeppelin was
one of the most daring aviators In
Germany. He mace flights under all
conditions and to all points. A few
months ago, shortly before his death,
he went to England on a raid to study
the effects Of the gun fire and to see
| il he could not get at the secret of
the English anti-aircraft system. A
| wireless operator on one of the ships
which took part In this raid told me
ono Of the things which impressed
the old count more than anything was
the white-eyed searchltghts which
looked up into the sky from the City
of London. He counted at one time
| 81 searchlights on his Zeppelin. Count
| Zeppelin, however, died before he
learned how to protect his great inven-
| tons against the English and French
anti aircraft artillery.
| The zeppelins, Of course, have not
been successful in air raids. They have
not been able to greatly assist the
army, but they did save Constanti-
nople, and they are preparing daily for
| the next great North sea battle. At
night, shortly before diplomatic rela-
tons were broken, Zeppelins could be
seen maneuvering above Berlin. Even
on dark nights one could see these
giant ships, with their red and green
port and starboard lights, cruising
about in the heavens. The war is not
ended, and the possibilities of the Yep
| pelins are not over. 1t is almost too
early to Judge whether Zeppelins are
a failure or success. They GER
tainly have as much to their credit as
to their loss.