LAND AND AVATEB 
November 14, 1914 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
SiB^ — I am a very interested reader of your paper, and 
particularly those articles dealing on the military, naval, and 
aeronautical situation as developed in this great war in which 
this country is embarked. 
We have read a great deal about the Zeppelins that are 
being built, and that are in existence, and in the pages of your 
paper we have gathered that the nxunber of these is limited, 
and that their construction is very slow, while as they are useless 
without their sheds, the time that is taken in constructing 
these must also be taken into account. 
I tliink that I am not mistaken in saying that the shortest 
time in which these sheds coiild be erected was seven months, 
and that a Zeppelin could not be turned out in less than nine 
months. This on the authority of your expert. 
In this morning's paper I read that Zeppelins are being 
turned out " every three weeks, which represents a record time 
of 500 hours per airship." 
The dbcrepancy is so great that one wonders which state- 
ment is correct, for it would seem not impossible to approximately, 
at any rate, arrive at the probable time involved. _ i 
With regard to the sheds, I recently saw at the Pavilion 
Cinematograph, Marble Arch, sheds in course of erection, 
in which ready-made girders are erected and covered^ with 
sheathing, apparently a very expeditious way of arriving at 
results. 
In Doctor Karl Graves' book entitled, " The Secrets of the 
German War Office," he has a great deal to say about Zeppelins, 
that the Germans have discovered a metal much lighter than 
aluminium for the making of the girders, and a gas very much 
lighter than hydrogen, so that their buoyancy and lifting capacity 
is enormously increased, while he speaks of the latest Zeppelins 
being able to carry a crew of twenty-five men, as well as over 
7 tons of explosives if needed. He speaks further of their sphere 
of action being up to 1,400 kilometres, and that they have been 
known to stay out ninety-six hours. 
There are statements made in the book that tend to discredit 
him, however, for he speaks of Zeppelms being capable of rising 
to a height of 10,000 feet, while aeroplanes that are generally 
supposed to be our arm of defence against these aircraft cannot 
exceed 6,000 feet. 
As we have been told very frequently of heights of over 
10,000 feet being attained by aeroplanes, heights indeed up to 
25,000 feet at which the record is supposed to stand, and I have 
never seen a height of over 6,000 feet mentioned in connection 
with Zeppelins, I am led to wonder whether the other statements 
quoted in this letter are equally inaccurate. 
That we have heard little about Zeppelins in actual warfare 
thus far leads one to hope that they have not been found as 
eflBcient as had been hoped by the enemy, but if your expert could 
answer the statements made in Doctor Graves' book, as also 
the length of time taken in the building of these craft, it would 
be of much interest to the public and might reassure them from 
a meance which is much dreaded by many. 
If you could find time to take up this subject in your valued 
paper, I feel sure that it would be of interest to many of youi 
readers. Charles I. Thomson. 
GERMAN LOSSES. 
To the Editor of Land and Water. 
Sir, — It may interest your readers to leam that the losses 
estimated by Mr. Belloc are fully admitted by some of the German 
War Office officials. My Dutch correspondent has recently 
been in Berlin, and has intimate acquaintance with the War 
Department there. He writes me that up to the last week in 
Terms of Subscription to 
"THE COUNTY GENTLEMAN 
LAND AND WATER" 
(ESTABLISHED 1SG2). 
AT HOME— Twelve Months - - - £1 8 
CANADA— Twelve Months - - - - £1 10 6 
ELSEWHERE ABEOAD— Twelve Months - £1 17 
The above rates include all Special Numbers and Postage. 
BACK COPIES of "LAXD AND WATEE," containing the 
series of Articles by HTLAIRE BELLOC, "THE WAR BY 
LAND"i and FEED. T. JANE, "THE WAR BY WATER," 
to<?etlior with a valnablo reference, "THE TOPOGEAPHICAL 
GUIDE," can be obtained through any Newsagent, or on 
application to the Offices of "LAND AND WATEE," CBKTE.ii, 
Houaii, KiNQswAT, W.C. , 
October the German losses were admittedly fully 2,000,000 I 
He estimates the total number of Germans engaged in the war 
from the beginning at nearly 7,000,000. The Germans claim to 
be able to provide another 3,000,000 men ! 
Yours faitlifully, 
Aethub Kitson. 
National Liberal Club, November 9th 
BUCKINGHAM PALACE. 
October 15th, 1914. 
Far many weeks we hav« all been greatly concerned for the 
welfare of the sailors and soldiers who are so gallantly fighting otir 
battles by sea and land. Our first consideration has been to meet 
their more pressing needs, ajid I have delayed making knovm a wisE 
that has long been in my heart for fear of encroaching on other funds, 
the claims of which have been more urgent. 
I want you all now to help me to send a Christmas present from 
the whole nation to every sailor afloat and every soldier at tlie front. 
On Christmas Eve, when, like the shepherds of old, they keep their 
watch, doubtless their thoughts wUl turn to home and to the loved 
ones left behind, and perhaps, too, they will recall the days when, as 
children themselves, they were wont to hang out their stockings, 
wondering what the morrow had in store. 
X am sure that we should all be the happier to feel that w© had 
helped to send our little token of love and sympathy on Christmas 
morning, something tliat would be useful and of ^)ermanent value, and 
the making of which may be the means of providing employment in 
trades adversely affected by the war. Could there be anything more 
likely to hearten them in their struiggle than a present received 
straight from home on Christmas Day? 
Please, will you help me? 
MAET, 
To H.E.H. THE PRINCESS MABY, 
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, LONDON. 
I be^ to enclose £ «. d. as a donation to your Royal 
Highness s Fund. 
Name 
Address 
WAR PUBLICATIONS. 
The manual published by tlie Temple Press in sixpenny form on 
How to use a Rifle and Pistol has already run through two editions, 
and a third edition has now been issued in revised and considerably 
enlarged form. There is a valuable addition of matter on such subjects 
as trajectory, aiming practice, and common errors of shooting, with 
the ways of correcting and avoiding them. Written in simple, un- 
technical language, the manual forms one of the best guides to practical 
rifle shooting on the market, being written throughout by a military 
man fully conversant with his subject. 
The first translation into English of Treitschhe t His Life and 
Works has been published at 7s. Sd. by Messrs. Jarrold and Allen & 
Unwin. Various extracts from the doctrine preached by Treitschke 
have made tlieir appearance, but now for the first time it is possible 
for such as are not conversant with the German language to ascertain 
the views of the historian-profossor-war-advocate. It may be added 
that the book is a revelation as to the German view point, as evident 
in one of its most learned and distinguished men, who endorses " blood 
and iron " as a cardinal necessity to the welfare of his country. 
Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton have added to their two-shilling 
series of war books The German Spy System from WitMn, by " ex- 
Intelligence Ofiicer," who deals with the practical work of the spy 
system, and exhibits a commendable avoidance of melodramatic story 
telling. The book is circumstantial, and is based throughout on 
provable evidence; the chapter on agents provocateurs and the German 
infiuence on Syndicalism is especially valuable, and the book as a whole 
IS one well worthy of perusal. 
The ofiScial German point of view as regards war is admirably, if 
rather too briefly, stated in Germany's War Martia, which condenses the 
utterances of the Kaiser, the Crown Prince, Bulow, Bernhardi, von der 
Goltz, and others. The object of the book is to shov/ that Germany, 
as represented by its chief men, is utterly permeated with the doctrine 
of the necessity of war to the 4^^elopment of a nation, and the 
argument is well enforced out of German mouths. 
LOOKING BACKWARDS. 
ReacJers of the special articles appearing in this Journal 
on " The World's War by Land and Water " will doubtless 
wish to retain in correct rotation these remarkable series 
of articles by HILAIRE BELLOC and FRED T. JANE. 
We have, therefore, prepared special cloth binders to hold 
the first thirteen numbers, at a cost of Is. 6d. each. 
Or we will supply the thirteen numbers complete, in the 
binder, for 6s. 6d. 
Owing to the big demand for back numbers already 
received we have had to reprint some of tlie earlier 
numbers. Same can now be supplied at 6d. per copy. 
Order now from your Newsagent, Bookstall, or direct 
from the Publishers, 
LAND AND WATER," 
CENTRAL HOUSE. KINGSWAY, LONDON. 
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