THE ANSWER TO THE ZEPPELIN.

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13488, 19 May 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE ANSWER TO THE ZEPPELIN.

A complete defence against the Zeppelin has been found in the new quicKclimb.ng aeroplanes now constructed by the British, if we are to believe an

»"■ ".editorial writer in The Scientific Ame•i rican (New York). Despite, the tendency to exaggeration in the reports ol $ new war material in Europe, ii i* possible, this writer thinks, to sift out the

true from the false, and ho sees reason \ to believe that tho British in their latent aeroplanes have, at last, really found an cll'oetive answer to the great German airships. He writes: "When the hist raids on London were made, the British possessed neither the guns nor the aircraft in sufficient numbers or quality to meet, destroy, or drive back the latest Zeppelins.' The anti-aircraft guns could not reach effectively the great heights to which the Zeppelins could rise, nor could 1 the aircraft rise in time to attack. Since that time both guns and aircraft have hecome thoroughly efficient for the work. Just in what numbers and of what calibre are the anti-aircraft batteries with which" London is now so well defended is not known ; hut because of the great value of high velocity and a straight trajectory for anti-aircraft gunfire, it is a pretty safe guess that there are many batteries of guns larger than the 3-inch. The 00-calibre 4.7 and 6-inch guns, it fired at higli angles of elevation, have a trajectory of slight curvature and the time, of flight is small, elements which .simplify the task of the gunner in finding and keeping on a moving tareet -

"Information is now available as to the new anti-Zeppelin aeroplanes, • and Lieutenant Faulkner, of the Royal Flying Corps, who recently landed in Now York on furlough, has given some de-

tails which agree with information we have received from another source. "The problem has been to build an aeroplane with climbing powers sufficient to enable it to reach Zeppelin altitudes in time to meet the raiders and bring them down. The latest machines are of comparatively small wing surface and are driven by unusually powerful engines, capable of making speeds of one hundred and twenty to one hundred and forty miles per hour. The increase in climVing speed in the past few months has been truly astonishing. having progressed from an ascent of ten thousand feet in six minutes to fitteen thousand feet in seven and onehalf minutes. "The scouting service, both on the North Sea and along the East coast, is now so effective that London is warned of the approach of the Zeppelins in time to permit the Zeppelin-chasers lo take the air and be in position for an attack before the raiders roach their objective.''

Salvage «pm panics' operations on vo=s•elo sunk during the -war have already realised ,C3fflj)oO, £IBO,OOO.