The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-09-21
DROP BOMBS ON BERLIN

is reproduced, which answers the oft
repeated query, why are bombs not
dropped on Berlin?"
A stock question after every air
raid on this country is: why don't
we bomb BerAn?" That the query
should be raised by so many people
is proof in itself that information is
required on the point. Nor will 1t
suffice to dismiss the question with
a curt reply which gives no informa-
ton.
There are many interesting reasons
for the explanation of our attitude
toward Berlin, but it must not be
understood that all these reasons will
hold good all the time. War is con-
stantly changing in its methods, and
our outlook on war is frequently al
tered. We must bear this in mind
when considering the bombing of Ber-
lin.
The first and main reason for Ber-
Inns immunity from air raids is that
the Prussian headquarters are out of
modern airplane range. If we had
possessed Zeppelins in the early days
of the war they could have bombed
Berlin in much the same manner
that the German airships attacked US,
until we set up a good defense.
Berlin is $50 miles from the west
ern battle front, 500 miles from Eng
land. and nearly $50 miles from the
North sea-. Thus, to make the Jour-
ney out and home, a minimum dis
lance of 500 miles would have to be
travelled. even if our airrlanes could
start from a base in the North sea;
whilst if a start were to be made
from a land base the distance would
be at least 900 miles for the double
trip.
Now, under war conditions, a
bombing airplane with a reasonable
load of bombs can hardly exceed 400
miles in n run, and 300 is about
the average. THUS, for raiding pur-
poses. IN airplane can at the Utmost
only bomb a place 200 miles from its
base, if It is to return home, again.
So, under present conditions of
airplane raiding, Berlin is safe from
u airplane bombs, and we are not
likely to build Zeppelins for the ex-
press purpose of disturbing the Ber-
liners sleep. But it is not quite the
same thing as saying that Berlin AN
not be bombed before the war is over.
We must remember that airplane
design is going forward at a mar
velous rate. Some of the latest ma
chimes have engines Of over 500
horsepower. and their speed exceeds
$50 miles IN hour. This development
in speed end power goes on with a
development in range of .ac-
ton. Machines grow more efficient.
They improve in load-carrying owe
and thus they keep on widening their
range of travel, for the whole thing
depends on the amount of petrol they
can carry.
Under peace conditions it would
be quite possible to send an airplane
from Flanders to Berlin and back
without landing. But this record
breaker would need to be specially
equipped for the voyage, and it GER
tainly could not carry any bombs. II
would be very heavily loaded with
hundreds of gallons of petrol, and it
could perform few of the feats which
the wartime raider must accomplish.
This latter machine must be able tc
Ay very high so as to dodge gun fire,
and it must travel very fast or it
will be overtaken and destroyed by
enemy machines.
In aerial warfare speed is the most
vital factor, and the slow bomber has
little chance of getting over it's tar
get. High speed calls for the more
use of petrol, and con-
sequentyl there is no room for bombs
On a machine setting out for a very
ong journey.
An airplane is a bad weight-carrier. |
Vvorx- po~~J Sc 1~-J-. --l
cred, and when the fuel and oil sup
plies are provided for on a fast war |
machine the capacity for bombs is
mall. and it decreases. of course, as
petrol is taken on board.
But the change and improvements
IRE going on all the time, and Berlin
s certainly coming within bombing
'ange. Indeed. if Poland had not
captured by the Germans, Ber-
in would not have been safe from
lir attacks on the Russian side. There
ire a number of highly interesting
Possibilities with regard to Russia,
it is not thought opportune to dis
'uss them, although they have a bear
ng on the problem before us.
However this war proceeds, it is
'retty certain that the allies are not !
osing ground. On every side we are
eating into the territory held by the
Germans. Every mile won has it's
Importance in relation to air war
Upon Germany.
One word about reprisals. The
German government will not sue for
)eace. because we bomb German
and it is the German govern
we must reckon with in this
var.
If we bomb Berlin it will be to
wreck the government, destroy bar
'acks. railways and munition works, !
md do other direct military damage.
the people will not end the
var. But direct hits at the German
var machine will bring the kaiser
lear to his doom.
Although Berlin is out of our reach
or the present, we have many i'm
German towns within range, /
when the allies get more expert
n aerial warfare they will hit very
lard at Germany through the air.
There are the Rhine bridges which
n r,,, oil A. -.,- l.