AIRSHIPS FOR NAVAL USE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 866, 12 July 1910, Page 5

AIRSHIPS FOR NAVAL USE.

PARTICIPATE IN GERMAN MANOEUVRES. ' O Berlin, July 10. At the German naval manoeuvres in the autumn, an air-hip will bo used for the first time. It will maintain wireless communication with the warships. A NEW ELEMENT IN WAR. EFFECT Oi 1 AERIAL MACHINES. It is only two years ago that the total sum <iV UK.'iic} vut.cil l>.) Parliament for the whole of the aerial operations of tho British Army, inoludfng dirigibles, balloons, and experiments with aeroplanes, was under .£10,0()U, whereas two years ago Gorman), the most scientific anil most highly organised military Power.in Europe, was spending upwards of i.'500,000 a year and Franco over. .£300,000 —so wrote Liird Montagu of IJeaulieu in the "Daily Mail" i\ few weeks ago. It is true, lie continued, that JiJOG.OOO has been voted by Parliament this year lor airmanship work in connection villi the Army (.£71,0(11)) and Navy (.£35,000), this is ii such smaller amount than that speir. by any nf the Great European Powers. On the other linml, there is uu reason why we should not ba as open to attack as either France, Germany, Austria, or Italy, each of whom is spending more than we iiro on (lying machines.

To give some idea or tlin comparatively short way from our shores to some of tlis chief naval and militarj centres' abroad, wo have only to consider the folicHviiii! distances:-Dover to Calais, 21 miles; Dover to Metz. 260 miles; Sheerness lo Einden, 295 miles; Dover to Nieuport (Belgium), (iO miles; Harwich to Rotterdam (Holland), 101 miles; Sheerness to tho nearest frontier of Italy, 450 miles j and from Dover to tho frontier fortresses of Austria, 470 miles. It will be noted that all these distances under 500 miles, which modern dirigibles can cover at one flight, and before long aeroplane flights of 200 miles will bo coinmon. The lesson is obvious.

It must bo admitted, however, that for tho present reconnaissance work will bo tlie chief use to which dirigibles and aeroplanes will bo put—that is, finding out the enemy's position, the disposition of his forces! and tho strength of the opposing host. But there will also be the use of the aeroplane or dirigible as the terror which flieth by day or equally by night. The last new German dirigibles can carry thirty-four men, or, alternatively, four men as crew and a ton and a half of high explosive material, sufficient to wreck half the important nerve centres of London and create the wildest panic. There are at the present moment quite a number of such vessel* in Germany, and a great many in France ns well. It is estimated that tho number of military dirigible balloons actually in possession of foreign Powers and ready to use are as follows: — In use. Building. France G 4 Germany 10 8 Austria ....: 1 2 Italy U ft Russia 2 2 Great Britain, has two actually constructed and two which are in process r>{ construction. As regards aeroplanes for military use the number in Germany is not accurately known, but France lias about twenty,-Italy six, and the United States two.