The unsatisfactory performance of the U.S.8. Macon, the largest dirigible in the world, during the Ameri fleet manoeuvres is another blow fat the. value of airships in modern warfare. It is serious Blow, 00, because the American authorities Tet the known that their future airship policy would be based on the results of the manceuvres. The Navy Department has had to admit that the Macon was "destroyed" by enemy aircraft and she was rendered useless for the defending fleet. On this evience, it is to be presumed, Americ= will "decide against further airship building joining Britain and other countries in abandoning a costly form, of alreratt which was not only completely exposed during the Great War fs of only inferior value, but has cent years that it is merely a useless extravagance at the present time. 'Squadrons of fast aeroplanes. can be Ddullt at the price of a single airship, and even its principal advantage, long range, has been' challenged by the long-distance aeroplanes. being built to-day. Its vulnerability has increased in proportion to the devel-lopment of high-speed—aeroplanes, and the mass fights by various nations within the last year or s0 show that carrying capacity is also of relatively negligible value. course, this dogs not detract. from the value of airships for commercial purposes. 'Dr. Eckoner's famous Graf' Zeppelin has abundantly demonstrate commercial possibilities and has} inspired the construction of a new Zeppelin of greater capacity than the Graf, which is now almost a veteran. This, ina progressive world, is the only purpose for airships judging by the experiences of: the few nations who have inve.tigated their military value on any large scale.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.