Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-31
AIRCRAFT PROVE, VALUE
IN FINDING SUBMARINES
Allies Employ Regular System of Sea Patrols by Airships
Naval Kite Balloons Perform Valuable Ser
vice in Spotting Undersea Craft

| an aerial convoy. and when all tho
| entrances to and exits from nossihIe
bases OF the C-boats arc constan,ly
threatened and harassed by souadrons
OF aircraft, it will become next 10 i'm
possible for the underwater vessels TO
move about at all.
IN inns way Gcrmany's submarines
Will be rendered as innocuous as the
great bulk OF her surface fleet.
ALL TYPES OF AIRSIIIps EupI.oyrp
IN SUBMARINE HUNT
/ What does experience during the
| present war teach us in this councc
ton? 1t Will he found. on examination
or the ofhcial records that all classes
OF aircraft have proved their value
when employed against submarines
I Though not. OF course with precisely
inc same object, all three OF the mudn
/ classes-airships. airpiancs or sea-
planes. and tied or kite balloons-hav
been utilized 10 good purpose by the
British navy. and in the allied fleets
also.
Remembering that the organization
was imperfect or nonexistent when war
broke out. and had TO be improvised
under the stress Of the conflict the
accomplishments OF the British Ad-
miraity. especially in the first year of
the hghttns. were indeed praiscworthy.
rake, as an example. the work OF
the airships OF the Royal Naval Air
service during August and September.
/ i'l'. re" as they were, these vessels
as the Admiralty announced in their
I lrst report OF his work in the war
assisted materially in the strong ma
trol which was maintained 10 the east
"erd OF the strait Of Dover. That
/ TINS patrol was effective and efficient
III SHOWN by the immunity from sub.
marine attack enjoyed by the great
volume Of military traflc to and from
France.
/ The airships." said the Official state
mont remained steadily patro!ling
between the French and English
/ coasts sometimes for twelve hours on
end. i'y this means it was Impossible.
J Tor enemy ships to approach the strait
without being seen many miles away.
ana the power of visibility below
water possessed by the eirshps also
/ enabled them to give timely warning
OF the presence OF hostile underwater
craft.
! During the next three years a good
ocal or progress and development OBJ
Viously took place in regard 10 air
ships for naval work but of the de-
'aiis or this Crowth it is too early vet
10 speak. The only occasion on which
the Admiralty gave hint of wha,
WAS gong on was when one OF tht
niTshtps was lost on patrol duty This
was in April. 1917. and the official
announcement: said: One OF II NJ
airships left on patrol from an cast
coast air station on the morning Of
the 2lst instant. and has not returned.
Reports received state that an airsh,n
was seen TO descend in flames in the
strait OF Dover about noon of the
same day An airplane or seaplanc
was seen in the vicinity shortly before
J the occurrence. and IL is believed that
inc missing British airship has been
destroyed by hostile aircraft. The
position given is considerable dis
lance from the area in which the air
ship should have been working. and
I II is probable that her eogine power
had failed. and that she had driftcd a
long distance with the wind Extern
siVc search has been made where she
/ fell. but no trace Of the crew nor any
portion OF the ship has been found.
[ and 1t must be assumed that all the
| crew arc lost"
| II was clearly indicated by this COM
munidue that regular system of sea
patrols by a!rships was in working,
and 1t was concluded that the sub
rine-infcstcd areas were the OBJ
! )ects OF special attention from these
patrols. Residents on the coast have
[ long ago become familiar with the
spectacle OF British naval airships
starting out on. or returning from. pa
troll cruises, and. when The proper time
comes. n number OF interesting epsodcs
Will no doubt be revealed concerning
the work of these craft
Our French allies nave also made
good use of airships in their opera
tons against the U-boats. In Septem-
Der. 1917. The Exchange Comnany's
Paris correspondent was permitted by
the French Ministry OF Marine to make
trips in three types Of aircraft to sec
how the conveying of supply ships
was managed and how the under
water craft were attacked He first
went UP in one OF the big $500 cubic
meter dirigibles of the Zodiac tyne.
equipped with mitraillcuses and wire
less Geographic installation. The
vessel was soon at height of 600
feet. and at the mouth of the harbor
picked up the convoy of ships she
/ was instructed to escort
| When about fifty miles from land.
and at an altitude Of 1000 feet, the
observation officer reported certain
object in the sea. Course was at once
altered, the airship being turned
against the wind, SO that her speed
was reduced until she became almos;
motionleSs. in order the better TO make
out what the object was In this.
said the correspondent. she was not
altogether successful. but under the
muddy water was seen the wake or
track OF an object which seemed 20
| DO moving very slowly
A bomb, was dropped. and missed +:
but it enabled the commanding officer
to correct his aim. and after a sharp
turn. hardly discernible. the airsbin