ds of data concerning the vessel which had been
scientifically collected during the journey. All this information
fell into the hands of the French military department, and it proved a
wondrous revelation. It enabled the French to value the Zeppelin at its
true worth, which was by no means comparable to the estimate based on
reports skilfully circulated for the benefit of the world at large.

Recently the French military department permitted the results of their
expert official examination to be made public. From close investigation
of the log-book and the diagrams which had been prepared, it was found
that the maximum speed attained by Zeppelin IV during this momentous
flight was only 45 miles per hour! It was ascertained, moreover, that
the load was 10,560 pounds, and the ascensional effort 45,100 pounds.
The fuel consumption had averaged 297 pounds per hour, while the fuel
tanks carried sufficient for a flight of about seven hours. The airship
had attained a maximum height of about 6,230 feet, to reach which 6,600
pounds of ballast had to be discarded. Moreover, it was proved that a
Zeppelin, if travelling under military conditions with full armament and
ammunition aboard, could carry sufficient fuel for only ten hours at the
utmost, during which, if the slightest head-wind prevailed, it could not
cover more than 340 miles on the one fuel charge.

This information has certainly proved a revelation and has contributed
to the indifference with which the Parisians regard a Zeppelin raid. At
the outbreak of war the Zeppelin station nearest to Paris was at Metz,
but to make the raid from that point the airship was forced to cover
a round 500 miles. It is scarcely to be supposed that perfectly calm
weather would prevail during the whole period of the flight, so that
a raid would be attended by considerable risk. That this handicap was
recognised in German military circles is borne out by the fact that a
temporary Zeppelin hangar was established at a point considerably nearer
the French capital, for the purpose of enabling a raid to be carried out
with a greater possibility of success.

The capture of Zeppelin IV revealed another important fact. The critical
flying height of the airship is between 3,300 and 4,000 feet. To attempt
a raid at such an altitude would be to court certain disaster, inasmuch
as the vessel would have to run the gauntlet of the whole of the French
artillery, which it is admitted has a maximum range