the, Delta and the long framework gear of the Gamma. Her
engines were two 80 horse-power Canton-Unne, each driving one propeller
by a chain. This ship proved to be a good design and completed an
eight-hour trial flight in September. On her fourth trial she
succeeded in towing the disabled naval airship No. 2 a distance of
fifteen miles. Her speed was 42 miles per hour, and she could carry a
crew of five with fuel for ten hours.

On January 1st, 1914, the Army disbanded their Airship Section, and the
airships Beta, Gamma, Delta and Eta were handed over to the Navy
together with a number of officers and men.

CHAPTER V

EARLY DAYS OF THE NAVAL AIRSHIP SECTION--PARSEVAL AIRSHIPS,
ASTRA-TORRES TYPE, ETC.

The rapid development of the rigid airships in Germany began to create
a considerable amount of interest in official circles. It was realized
that those large airships in the future would be invaluable to a fleet
for scouting purposes. It was manifest that our fleet, in the event of
war, would be gravely handicapped by the absence of such aerial scouts,
and that Germany would hold an enormous advantage if her fleet went to
sea preceded by a squadron of Zeppelin airships.

The Imperial Committee, therefore, decided that the development of the
rigid airship should be allotted to the Navy, and a design for Rigid
Airship No. 1 was prepared by Messrs. Vickers in conjunction with
certain naval officers in the early part of 1909.

As will be seen later this ship was completed in 1911, but broke in two
in September of that year and nothing more was done with her. In
February, 1912, the construction of rigid airships was discontinued,
and in March the Naval Airship section was disbanded.

In September, 1912, the Naval Airship section was once more
reconstituted and was stationed at Farnborough. The first requirements
were airships, and owing to the fact that airship construction was so
behindhand in this country, in comparison with the Continent, it was
determined that purchases should be made abroad until sufficient
experience had been gained by British firms to enable them to compete
with any chance of success against foreign rivals.

First a small non-rigid, built by Messrs. Willows, was bought by the
Navy to be used for the training of airship pilots. In addition an
Astra-Torres airship was ordered from France. This was a ship of
229,450 cubic feet capacity and was driven by twin Chenu engines of 210
hors