Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-31


observed I'm tho distance making for
the spot whero the bombs had been
dropped. A demonstration was thus
afforded OF the efflcient character of
the intcrcommunication between the
air and sea services.
Before returning to her base. after
flight of nine hours duration. this
Zodiac airship was tho object of IA
threatened attack by German aircraft.
while We were In the middle OF tho
channel" said the writer. we picked
up the signaling announcement, that
German airplnncs were near us. We
were about 1000 feet up. and fortuit-
ously cloud envelopcd us We did
not emerge from II for an hour and
half. and the German aircraft were
not visible
This description OF overseas scout
ing by arship was obviously
typical of the work done In more than
one OF the allied navies. In the
Adriatic, particularly. the Italian air
ships had many encounters with hos
I tile submarines. For coast patrol work
airshiDs OF the smaller types have been
widely used. The correspondent al
ready referred 10 WAS permitted to
make II cruise in one such. known as
the dirig;ble Ncdctte. She carried
three men only.
The chief mission Of this particular
craft was TO search for mines but
while engaged in this work she was
at the same time. OF course. ready to
spot any submarines in the vicinity.
Her patrol Tested for three hours
For straits and channels. or for the
important estuaries. as we'll as for the
protection OF our ports and naval
bases. nirships OF this type have evil
IDENTIFY been found Indispensable in the
scheme of defense against submarine
attack. They have been able TO serve
as the eyes OF the local defense
position OF their quarry, and have
saved many an important vessel from
what might we'll have proved fatal
submarine ambush.
Another species OF aircraft, which
have been pressed into service against
hostile subnarines-anf TO very good
purDose-are the kite balloons. 1t is
10 be feared that the valuable work
Of these tied balloons. the purpose OF
which Is not to fight themselves. but
to make the fighting performed by
other arms possible. or more effective.
haa not been as fully realized az Il
deserves.
The work OF the naval kite balloons
employed in assisting the lantisub-
marine patrols. Of which illustrations
have been permitted 10 appear In the
press, has been very valuable There
were many difficulties to be overcome
before these gas bags could be sent
UP at sea. equipped with telephones
and the other appliances needed for
intelligence work. Before the war the
French and Germans tried to use them
in their fleets, but no provision for
anything of the kind appears to have
been made in the British navy until
tho war broke out.
In October. 1914. when the watrships
under the late Rear-Admiral Hood be-
gan Smelling the German positions
along the Belgian coast. observation
balloons were sent up TO assist them
In spotting the fall OF their pro1ectilcs.
80 satisfactory were the results Of
this trial regarded that. when the
naval expedition TO the DardanelIcs
was planned, balloon shin, tho
Manica. formed a definite part OF the
feet sent to the strait.
1t is beyond the scope OF this article
TO deal with the work performed by
various kite-balloon sections of the
Royal Nava! Air Service in foreign
parts, except TO indicate that what
these machines were able to do as re-
CARDS observation for artillery and the
like, they should also be able TO do
submarine patrols. The detachment in
the Manica. for example, WINS trans
TERED. on the conclusion OF the fight
ing Gallipol. 10 East Africa. and there
rendered ycoman service TO the army
and navy alike. In his dispatch OF
January rs. 1917. Rear-Admiral Chari-
ton, the comma ndcr in chief dcscrib-
ing the capture OF the coast town Of
BaSamo%o, referred 10 the work of
,he Manieas kite balloon in spotting.
but the seaplane carried by the same
vessel had engine trouble. and was
forced to come down in the breakers
at tho mouth of the Kingani River.
On this occasion the kite balloon thus
proved the moro reliable Of the two
machines.
1t was. therefore, a natural step 10
utilize the kite balloons OF the navy
70 assist in hunting down submarines.
Ihe Illustrations recSn.ly released for
publication show tina, tho method is
10 nave one of these gas bags lowed
at Whatever height may be considered
desirable. by patrol boat. Doubt
less, az on land, the occupants OF the
car suspended below tho envelope are
protected in case OF mshap by each
having parachute. although even if
inns proves efficient in it's working
there Is greater danger in aIighting
on the water than on land unless HELM
Is at hand
OBSERVERS USE TELEPHONE,
TO DECK OF SHIPS
BY means OF telephone to the
deck Of the boat TO which the balloon
is attached. prompt information can
ne given of any suspicious object on
the horizon. and it is obvious that. as
general rule, the kite balloon oh
server can do more accurate work
than an airplane observer. He has
more definite knowledge OF his own
position. and 80 can more easily deter
mine the range and location OF a dis
tanI object.
TO accompany fleets at sea, and to
assist the defense fotllas in their
patrol work around our coasts. the
kite balloon has undoubtedly great
value in it's relation to the detection
OF underwater craft. Though lacking
the offensive power OF IL dirigible bal
loon. they can direct the operations
OF other craft, whether on the sea or
In the air. and i'm tho case OF sub
morine hunt the patrol boat carry
ing the balloon, If endowed with suf-
fic!ent speed. may be the means Of at
lacking and perhaps destroying a
U-boat reported BIZ the observer In