of their Zeppelins for scouting purposes with the high seas
fleet. Responsible people were guilty of a grave mistake when
speaking in public in denouncing the Zeppelin as a useless
monster every time one was destroyed in a raid on this country.
The main function of the Zeppelin airship was to act as an aerial
scout, and it carried out these duties with the utmost efficiency
during the war. It is acknowledged that the German fleet owed
its escape after the Battle of Jutland to the information
received from their airships, while again the Zeppelin was
instrumental in effecting the escape of the flotilla which
bombarded Scarborough in 1916.

Very probably, also, the large airship was responsible for the
success which attended the U boats during their attack on the
cruisers Nottingham and Falmouth, and also at the Hogue disaster.

Various experiments were carried out in towing airships by
cruisers, in refuelling while in tow and changing crews, all of
which would have borne good fruit had the war lasted longer.

An exceedingly interesting experiment was carried out during the
closing stages of the war by an airship of the S.S. Zero type.
At this period the German submarines were gradually extending
their operations at a greater distance from our coasts, and the
authorities became concerned at the prospect that the small type
of airship would not possess sufficient endurance to carry out
patrol over these increased distances. The possibility was
considered of carrying a small airship on board a ship which
should carry out patrol and return to the ship for refuelling
purposes, to replenish gas, and change her crew. To test the