THE ÆRIAL AGE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 95, 19 May 1909, Page 3

THE ÆRIAL AGE.

A REMARKABLE AGITATION. Berlin, May 17. There is a remarkable agitation in Germany to build a huge aerial fleet instead of many Dreadnoughts. MYSTERIOUS AIRSHIPS. London, May 17. For several weeks mysterious airships have occasionally been seen over the eastern counties, chiefly at night time. A COMMERCIAL SCHEME. Received 18, 9.5 p.m. Berlin, May 18. The Count Zeppelin Airship Company estimates the cost of the projected aggregate of 600 trips per annum with three chips, inclusive of wages and motor charges, to .be £BSOO sterling. The, only doubt is whether there will be sufficient passengers available to cover the expenses. Each ship will have a crew of five, with twenty passengers. A War Office subsidy is expected for the principal line from Dusseldorf to Lucerne. H.MjS. ZEPPELIN. Berlin, April 2. Ballooning will play a prominent role in the great Imperial manoeuvres this year, which take place at the end of .August on the border of Wurtemberg and Bavaria.

It has' been decided that the Zeppelin airship, which since its purchase by the army is generally known as H.M.S.' (Hi* Majesty's ship) Zeppelin 1., will 1)e attached to the Bavarian-Wurtemberg corps, under the command of Prince Leopold of, Bavaria, brother of the Prince Regent. It is thought possible that the other two military dirigibles, the' Gross 'and the Parseval, will be engaged on the other side, which will consist of the 3rd Bavarian Army Corps and the 14th Baden Army Corps, commanded bv General Bock von Polach. »

The newly-invented balloon artillery which both Krupp and Ahrhardt have just brought out will, it is reported. lie seen in the field for the first time, this ordnance will probably be attached to General von Bock's command, so as to test its approximate usefulness against air cruisers of the Zeppelin type. At leas't a portion of these airship guns will he mounted on motor ears to facilitate the pursuit. Some time about the manoeuvres—it is not known jphether before or afterexperiments with live shells* will be carried out. For this purpose targets in the shape of % unmanned baloons will be sent up in the air. It is anticipated that the Emperor, who, as usual, will officiate as supreme umpire, ■will attend these highly interesting tests. The manoeuvres will take place in the district lying Iwtween the towns of Stuttgart. Heilbronn and HeilbronnKrailsheim. The Imperial headquarters ■will be at Stuttgart, where the Kaiser will be the guest of the King of Wurtcmberg. Of recent years the motor ear has played an increasingly important role in the Imperial manoeuvres, and further progress in this -direction will be seen this year. The portable kitchens drawn try gun teams of the pattern used in the .Russian army were so successful last year that their .number will be increased this year, while the fractional force will Ix supplied bv motor. '•

In order to accustom the soldiers to lend for themselves in war time, it has been decided that the men's wants fehall this year be supplied on the spot. Coffee, tea, Hour, bread and forage will have to be raised on the country-side and era the fresh meat will be tered by the soldiers themselves aftot the cattle, etc., have been examined bv the military veterinarv surgeons This measure is part of ti'he general' staff's continual endeavor to make the conditions of the manoeuvres as similar to those of real warfare an possible