Another drawback is the large tract of ground required for an
aerodrome, and the big airship needs a large number of
highly-trained personnel to handle it.

A further point always, raised when the policy of developing the
airship was mooted is its vulnerability. It cannot be denied
that it presents a large target to artillery or to the aeroplane
attacking it, and owing to the highly inflammable nature of
hydrogen when mixed with air there can be no escape if the gas
containers are pierced by incendiary bullets or shells.

Another contributing factor to the slow development of the
airship was the lack of private enterprise. Rivalry existed
between private firms for aeroplane contracts which consequently
produced improvements in design; airships could not be produced
in this way owing to the high initial cost, and if the resulting
ships ended in failure, as many were bound to do, there would be
no return for a large outlay of capital. The only way by which
private firms could be encouraged to embark on airship building
was by subsidies from the Government, and at this time the
prevalent idea of the doubtful value of the airship was too
strong for money to be voted for this purpose.

To strengthen this argument no demand had either been made from
those in command of the Fleet or from commanders of our Armies
for airships to act as auxiliaries to our forces.

The disasters experienced by all early airships and most
particularly by the Zeppelins were always seized upon by those