In the case of the rigids, however, for some occult reason the old system of numbering was persisted in. The letter R is prefixed before the number to show that the ship is a rigid. Hence we have No. 1 a rigid, the second rigid constructed is No. 9, or R 9, and the third becomes R 23. From this number onwards all are rigids and are numbered in sequence as they are ordered, with the exception of the last on the list, which is a ship in a class of itself. This ship the authorities, in their wisdom, have called R 80--why, nobody knows. With this somewhat lengthy and tedious explanation the following table may be understood: No. Type. Remarks. 1. Rigid Wrecked, Sept. 24, 1911. 2. Willows Became S.S. 1. 3. Astra-Torres Deleted, May 1916. 4. Parseval Deleted, July, 1917. 5. Parseval Never delivered from Germany. (Substitute ship built by Messrs. Vickers). 6. Parseval Built by Messrs. Vickers. 7. Parseval Built by Messrs. Vickers. 8. Astra-Torres Deleted, May, 1916. 9. Rigid Deleted, June, 1918. 10. Astra-Torres Envelope used for C 1. 11. Forlanini Never delivered owing to war. 12. Forlanini Never delivered owing to war. 13. Forlanini Never delivered owing to war. 14. Rigid Never built. 15. Rigid Never built. 16. Astra-Torres See No. 8. 17. Beta Transferred from Army. Deleted, May, 1916. 18. Gamma Deleted, May, 1916. 19. Delta Deleted, May, 1916. 20. Eta Transferred from the Army. Fitted with car from No. 10. Deleted May, 1916. 21. Epsilon Construction cancelled May, 1916. 22. Epsilon Construction cancelled May, 1916. 23. Rigid 23 Class. 24. Rigid 23 Class. 25. Rigid 23 Class. 26. Rigid 23 Class. 27. Rigid 23x Class. 28. Rigid 23x Class. Never completed. 29. Rigid 23x Class. 30. Rigid 23x Class. Never completed. 31. Rigid 31 Class. 32. Rigid 31 Class, building. 33. Rigid 33 Class. 34. Rigid 33 Class. 35. Rigid Cancelled. 36. Rigid Building. 37. Rigid Building. 38. Rigid Building. 39. Rigid Building. 40. Rigid Building. 80. Rigid Building. In August, 1914, Europe, which had been in a state of diplomatic tension for several years, was plunged into the world war. The naval airship service at the time was in possession of two stations, Farnborough and Kingsnorth, the latter in a half-finished condition. Seven airships were possessed, Nos. 2, 3 and 4, and the four ex-army ships--Beta, Gamma, Delta and Eta--and of these only three, Nos. 3, 4 and the Beta, were in any condition for flying. Notwithstanding this, the utmost use was made of the ships which were available.