AIRSHIPS IN WARFARE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 152, 23 December 1911, Page 10 (Supplement)

AIRSHIPS IN WARFARE

Attacking airships and aeroplanes on land will not. it may be presumed, often fall lo the lot of naval gunners, since it will only lie on very rare occasions, if pre-(-nt opinions continue to hold sway,' that, naval brigades will be landed in civilised countries—and savages will hardly attack or reconnoitre on aeroplanes( says the London Globe). A suitable field gun, therefore, for the attack of aircraft, is not of prime importance (or the senior service; but if it. is found that the llsh-ta.il or split-trails for field {run carriages permit of as much as 70 (leg. of elevation being obtained b v field trims. Mich carriages will undoubtedly be adopted by the navy, since such a high angle of lire would be useful lor other purposes than bringing down aircraft. The army lias been carrying out experinicnis with a gun mounted on a splittrail earringe with, it is reported, fairly good results, at overhead angles. Hut the navy ought to be able to mount guns on board ship which would fire nearly perpendicularly, since gnu positions could lie erect i'il in such a way as to permit men working them from directly below the breecli-end in all the larger ships.