CONQUEST IN THE AIR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1743, 7 May 1913, Page 7

CONQUEST IN THE AIR.

MEETING OF CITY MEN. WILLING TO MAKE PECUNIARY 1 SACRIFICES. By Telegraph—P'csb Association-Copyright . London, May 5. A crowded non-party meeting of city lucn at the Mansion Houso resolved that it is essential to take steps (o sccuro an ample margin of air supremacy over (ho nest strongest naval Power. Tho newspapers slato that of Germany's fifteen Zeppelins, seven havo been wrecked or dismantled. (Rec. May 6, 11.50 p.m.) London, May 6. The Lord Mayor presided at tho Aerial Defence Committee's meeting at tho Mansion House, which was crowded with city -men. Admiral Lord Charles Bcresford, Lords Midleton and Lamington, and Mr. Lionel Rothschild, M.P., and many Mayors were present. ' Admiral Edward Seymour, Sir John Hopkins, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Kinriaird, and others spoke. The Lord Mayor declared that one of the objects of tho meeting was to strengthen the Government' 6 hand and make it known that the- men of the commercial world were willing to make pecuniary sacrifices to promote tho aviation movement. Lord said ho was sure that Britishers could privately raiso an enormous sum to assist tho Government to provide an efficient aerial fleet. A ZEPPELIN SUCCESS. (Rec. May 7, 0.30 a.m.) Berlin, May 6. The new Zeppelin passenger airship, with fourteen passengers, flew a. distance of 155 kilometres in 115 minutes. GERMAN AND BRITISH AIRSHIPS. Colonel Seoly, Secretary of Stale for War, asked in Parliament concerning tlio building of largo airships, said: "It is not considered desirable to mako public the ■steps that havo been and are being taken." . Colonel Seoly also stated that the number of airships (with their cubic capacity) owned by the German Government at the end of 1012 was as follow;—

Cubic Feet. Cubic Feet. One of 63,56!) One of 516,495 One of 1-11,267 Two of 635,658 One of 183,616 One of 688,662 Ono of 282,528 One of 776,600 One of 353,160 One of dimensions One of 123,792 . unknown. Tho number of more important private-ly-owned airships was ten, it was reported, but the dimensions of them were not available. ' Tho British airships are as follow:— Beta 33,000 cubic feet. ' Gamma. 75,000 cubic feet. Delta 160,000 cubic feet. "I am not aware of any privately-owned airships in Great Britain, added Colonel Seely. It would take less time 'to adopt and bring into being Lord Roberts's scheme of universal training than for England to get abreast of Germany in airship construction. (wrote a "Morning Post correspondent). Germany has sis fighting Zeppelins, besides twenty-ono other airships, the majority of which could stay out over the North Sea for observation purposes for periods of twenty-four hours or more. The Zeppelins, all built in 1912, ratine from G60,000 Cubic feet 10'706,000 cubic feet, with engines of 450 h.p. to 510 h.p., and all havo a speed of 50 miles an hour. These ships can carry a load of. at least five, tons, exclusive of crew. Allowing three tons for petrol, oil, ballast, etc., there remains two tons for bombs, say, 200 for each ship. Ono of these 20lb. bombs would wreck the chancel of Westminster Abbey past lecognition, or, if dropped in a crowd after, the theatres, cause much loss of life. Rome people comfort themselves with the idea that thero will be an international law passed forbidding bomb-dropping from the air. Wliv should there be? Thero is no law against tho usb of a 13in. naval gun, each shell of which will do far mora damago than a bomb. A Zeppelin airship could arrive over London, flying at a height Of 5000 ft., without warning of its approach, unseen and unheard, drop its bombs, and return home with as much safety and certainty as tho boat, train goes to and from Dover with its Continental passengers. . People who think they know about these things, but do not, will tell you that a few aeroplanes armed with little bombs will soon catch and fly over these ponderous ships of the air and settle them. In daylight they might, but, for several reasons, that is problematical. These airships havo a very efficient gun on top of them, they can climb quicker than an aeroplane, and they are divided into a number of separate compartments, each of which is independent,of its neighlxiur, and if three or four were hit the ship would still keep up. Used against England they would fly by night, and then be quite safe from aeroplane attack. A non-rigid would, of couyse, some down first hit, and that is the only sort wen in England. Our only protection against tlieso ships is to have somo of our own —one at Harwich, another at Sheoniess, a third at Farnborough, where tho headquarters of tho Flying Corps is, a fourth in ono of the big manufacturing towns up north, and a fifth at the now naval -base in Scotland, tlva latter a. most, important station. This is the minimum of our immediate requirements. ■A cable message from London last week stated that the Admiralty had placed orders for the construction of five airships with Vickers, Limited, of Barrow-in-Furness, of which some aro lo be Parsevnls, and the others of the rigid tyoe. Orders had also been given for the building of dirigibles by the Whihvorth, Armstrong Company, of Elswick.