Germany’s Fleet and Balloon Experiments
A despatch from Berlin dated January 29 declares that the rapid increase in the power of the German fleet is remarkable; that ships that were reported for the future are already finished; and that the German fleet greatly surpasses the French, and is only slightly behind the United States. In this connection Germany is doing a good deal of experimental work regarding balloons. She has now the finest aerial fleet in the world, and is practising firing at captive balloons moored at the height of 3,840 feet. In one of these experiments, out of 4,800 cartridges used by one company in five minutes, 2,700 cartridges in two minutes by another company, the balloon continued in the air, and on being brought down it was found that only 76 bullets had struck it, and these had done no appreciable damage.