January 9, 1915. 
fcAND AND WATER 
THE AIRSHIP IN NAVAL WARFARE. 
A NEW FACTOR IN THE NORTH SEA OPERATIONS. 
By L. BLIN DESBLEDS. 
FKOM the military point of view there are, broadly 
speakiiig, two important qualities which the 
modern airship possesses, but which the aero- 
plane still lacks. These two qualities are: — 
{1) Capability of remaining stationary over any 
given point. 
(2) Ability to navigate at night for a consider- 
able length of time. 
On account of its capability to remain stationary, an air- 
ship can observe, in detail, a constantly changing situation ; 
the results of its observations can be transmitted, by means 
of wireless telegraphy, to the Commander-in-Chief, and "con- 
tact " with the eremy can thus be maintained. The aero- 
plane, on the other hand, must travel in a circle, round and 
round any particular spot over which it is desired to make 
prolonged reconnaissance, and, in order to bring back to 
Headquarters the information it has obtained, it must lose 
"contact" with the "situation." 
The range of the wireless apparatus of a modem Zeppelin 
being about 150 miles, and the speed of a military aeroplane 
being about seventy miles an hour, it follows that a message 
tent from the airship would reach its destination much earlier 
than if it were carried by an aeroplane. 
It would seem, therefore, that, so long as no flying 
machine exists which can remain stationary over a predeter- 
mined point and transmit by wireless telegraphy the result of 
its observations to Headquarters, there is a part that it cannot 
fulfil, but which can be fulfilled by the airship. In the pre- 
sent war, so far as land operations are concerned, the Zeppelin 
has been unable to perform that important function in aerial 
operations for two reasons. Firstly, the anti-aircraft guns 
of the Allies would not allow it to come sufficiently low to 
make detailed observations; and, tecondly, in maintaining a 
stationary position, ii would be a relatively easy prey to the 
quick and small aeroplane. 
On the open sea, however, these two dangers, which, on 
land, would threaten a Zeppelin engaged in carrying out de- 
tailed tactical observations, would not exist to any important 
degree. Whereas, on land, an anti-aircraft gun can be placed 
almost anywhere, on the high sea it must be placed on a 
ship, which would be visible from the dirigible. And, on 
account of its greater radius of action, an airship could, with 
ease, carry out observations from a position that can, only 
with great risks, be reached by an aeroplane. This point 
can be illustrated by actual figures. 
SOME AIRSHIP AND AEROPLANE 
RECORDS. 
The greatest distance flown over sea is that traversed by the 
Norwegian airman, Gran. On July 30, 1913, he flew in a 
monoplane, from Cruden Bay, in Scotland, to Kleppe, in Nor- 
way, thus covering a distance of 320 miieSi Over land, 
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