Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1908 — When the “Airy Navies” Fight. [ARTICLE]

When the “Airy Navies” Fight.

The men who fight in ships on water are actually preparing for defense from missiles hurled or dropped from the skies, according to the Brooklyn Eagle. The problem before them is to I protect the vital parts of the ship from j attacks. Seagoing shipp of war are constructed so as to protect the cn-j gines and steering gear; also the magazines from projectiles coming through the vessels’ sides. They are not likely to be exitosed to dropping bombs except in dose action with land batteries. something rare in modern warfare.

Under present methods of warship construction defense from dropping bombs in?v take the form of nets spread nbove vulnerable points In the , superstructure. These will at least j check the ordinary bomb and limit the 1 force. Shells which emit poisonous fumes, however, can spread death in spite of the holdup if the contact with the net Is sufficiently violent to ex- i plode them or if they are exploded by a fuse. Experts 'differ as to the amount of damage an airship can do; to an ocean ship. It is admitted tbat J It will be extremely difficult for the' airship artillerist to hit his target. At, the most he can only disable a few men or some of the machinery. Shells that explode on deck usually do but ; little damage. Those that penetrate! the armor and explode to the ship’s bowels are the ones that wreck things, j This is the work cat out for torpedo boats, and many met} *t present doubt the efficiency of the aerial torpedo thrower? . • .•< • ,*. ... ■ V J