A LANDING OF 350,000 MEN.
Herr Rudolph Martin, author of books on war in the air and “Is a World-War Imminent?” points out how England is losing her insular character by the development of airships and aeroplanes.
“In a world-war,” he said to me, “Germany would have to spend two hundred millions sterling in motor airships, and a similar amount in aeroplanes, to transport 350,000 men in half an hour during the night from Calais to Dover. Even to-day the landing of a large German army in England is a mere matter of money. I am opposed to a war between Germany and England, but should it break out to-day, it would last at least two years, for we would conclude no peace until a German army had occupied London.
“In my judgment it would take two years for us to build motor airships enough simultaneously to throw 350,000 men into Dover via Calais. During the same night, of course, a second transport of 350,000 men could follow. The newest Zeppelin airship can comfortably carry fifty persons from Calais to Dover. The ships which the Zeppelin works in Friedrichshafen will build during the next few months are likely to be considerably larger than IV., and will carry one hundred persons. There is no technical reason against the construction of Zeppelin airships of 1,100,000 or even 1,700,000 cubic feet capacity, or twice or three times the capacity of IV. (500,000 cubic feet).
“I am at present organising a German ‘Air Navy League,’ to establish air-traffic routes in Germany. Aluminium airships could carry on regular traffic between Berlin and London, Paris, Cologne, Munich, Vienna, Moscow, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. In war time these ships would be at the disposal of the German Empire.
“The development of motor airship navigation will lead to a perpetual alliance between England and Germany. The British fleet will continue to rule the waves, while Germany’s airships and land armies will represent the mightiest Power on the Continent of Europe.”—Daily Mail, July 11, 1908.
It is needless to say that the above was written before the wreck of Zeppelin’s machine.