distinguish objects clearly, but the same mist
prevented the British ship crews from sighting the airships in the
clouds. When the heavy black smoke from the battleships rushing south
at their highest speed was sighted by the northernmost Zeppelin, word
of the apparent strength of the reenforcements was flashed to the
German commander in chief and the order for retreat was given. While
the fleets executed their maneuvers, the British main forces arrived
and the greatest battle in naval history took place. Had it not been
for the timely warning from the Zeppelins hanging high in the air
above the sea, the German fleet might have been overwhelmed by the
huge forces rushing south to destroy it. Outnumbered by more than two
to one, its only safety lay in retreat--and so heavy had been the
fire, that the British commander did not press the pursuit too close.
For while the Germans knew to a ship the strength of their adversary,
the latter had to reckon with the unknown, hidden possibilities of
forces not yet seen. It cannot be denied that the Jutland naval battle
was a complete vindication of the use of Zeppelins as naval scouts, a
value now recognized by every naval officer in the world.

The second field of action in which the Zeppelin airship has shown a
certain measure of success is that of destroying small naval units of
the enemy. And not only the German airships have had occasion to show
their value, but the French have been especially successful in this
work. For several months previous to February, 1916, little had been
heard of the activities of the new French dirigibles, which were
reported to have been built, although a number of them were
continually cruising high in the air above Paris and in the district
north of the capital. Occasionally hints were dropped here and there
concerning their activity above the Channel and portions of the North
Sea, and in the early summer a fairly substantial report reached this
country to the effect that the new French lighter-than-air machines
were utilized chiefly in "submarine hunting."

In the early stages of the war, when military and naval aviation was
trying to adopt peace-time theories to war-time facts, Great Britain
attempted to hunt the German submarines with aeroplanes, or
hydroaeroplanes; but the method had its serious draw-backs. The
aeroplane is of necessity a fast traveling machine; it must make at
least forty miles an hour to be able to stay aloft. Whizzing thr