uce a shell to burst within
100 yards of a balloon, no matter how skilfully the hostile battery may
be operated.

The value of the captive balloon has been demonstrated very strikingly
throughout the attack upon the entrenched German positions in Flanders.
Owing to the undulating character of the dunes the "spotters" upon the
British monitors and battle ships are unable to obtain a sweeping view
of the country. Accordingly captive balloons are sent aloft in some
cases from the deck of the monitors, and in others from a suitable point
upon the beach itself. The aerial observer from his point of vantage is
able to pick up the positions of the German forces and artillery with
ease and to communicate the data thus gained to the British vessels,
although subjected to heavy and continuous hostile fire. The difficulty
of hitting a captive balloon has been graphically emphasised, inasmuch
as the German artillerists have failed to bring down a solitary balloon.
On the other hand the observer in the air is able to signal the results
of each salvo fired from the British battleships as they manoeuvre at
full speed up and down the coastline, while he keeps the fire of the
monitors concentrated upon the German positions until the latter have
been rendered untenable or demolished. The accuracy of the British
gun-fire has astonished even the Germans, but it has been directly
attributable to the rangefinder perched in the car of the captive
balloon and his rapid transmission of information to the vessels below.

The enthusiastic supporters of aerial navigation maintained that
the dirigible and the aeroplane would supersede the captive balloon
completely. But as a matter of fact the present conflict has established
the value of this factor more firmly than ever. There is not the
slightest possibility that the captive balloon sections of the
belligerents will be disbanded, especially those which have the
fruits of experience to guide them. The airship and the aeroplane have
accomplished wonders, but despite their achievements the captive balloon
has fully substantiated its value as a military unit in its particular
field of operations.

CHAPTER III. GERMANY'S RISE TO MILITARY AIRSHIP SUPREMACY

Two incidents in the history of aviation stand out with exceptional
prominence. The one is the evolution of the Zeppelin airship--a story
teeming with romance and affording striking and illuminating glimpses
of dogged perseverance, grim det