Arizona republican., 1898-04-02
NEW TYPES OF WAR ENGINES
War Probability Has Set Many Inven
 tions to Work.

tions to Work.
 New York, March 31.-The work Of putting New York in a perfect state of defense goes on methOdically and without attracting the attention it did at the beginning. Our people have settled down to expect something and the shipment of guns and ammunition does not quicken the public pulse by one beat. Nothing but the report Of the naval board of inquiry will rouse the public from this state of highly strained expectancy. And it is aston ishing how well informed everybody seems to be about the time the report should be made public. If it is pitch ed in warlil1e key there will be no dis cordant note from the people of this city. From the street urchin to the gentleman who dimes at his club there is unanimity of feeling and thought peace with honor if that is possible: fight and fight like blue blazes if we must.
 Of course the navy yard attracts the lions share of attention The work being done upon the yacht Mayf1ower and the big dry dock No. 3 is watched very closely. It is generally conceded that the Goelet yacht will make a much better dispatch boat than the Dolphin. It is also conceded that she cannot be rendered formidable in ac- tion. She was docked this week and her speed lines were much admired by naval officers, civilian visitors and yard workmen gathered about the dry dock.
 Two hundred and fifty workmen are busy putting her upon a war footing. Constructed as she is for speed it will be necessary to take out enough weight to minimize the addition of the armor plate. The protective belt of 7k-inch steel, which many believe will reduce the boats speed from seventeen to fourteen knots, will as a matter of fact, weigh only about twenty tops It has been decided by the board in charge of alterations to place the May flowers heaviest weapons the two 5 inch rapid fire guns. we'll forward on the port and starbord bows. The small guns will extend along the sides. with machine guns of small calibre at the stern. The two torpedo tubes with which she is to be supplied will be aft. near the main gangway.
 The preparations for "emergencies'' are bringing to the front all kinds of peculiar devices. The newest of these finds lodgment in the brain of an in ventor, Charles A. Kunzel, who lives in Hoboken, and whose idea puts the Kol- land boat to shame.
 He has just completed the working plans of three air ships. one of which he believes peculiarly adapted to war purposes.
 eff the government cannot find use for my invention" he said, 'I will of fer my services to the United States in the event of war with a foreign power and am willing to take charge of any air ship or balloon ascension the government may pfan.'
 MT. Kunzel's three air ships are of the triple balloon pattern, the whale ship and the birdship. All of them are lifted and sustained in the air by bal looms. The two latter derive their name from the peculiar shape of the balloon. It is the last named one that MT. Kunze1 thinks would be most ser viceable in the event of war. His craft is 150 feet long and 50 feet in di- ameter. Above it is attached hori- zontally an egg-shaped balloon of the same dimensions, capable of holding 295, ,000 cubic feet Of gas, which is man. ufactured from coal oil by an appar- atus in the ship. At either side and | on top of the ship are propellers ope- rated by a gas engine. These are con- trolled by a wheel. To assist the pro pellors in steering, adjustable fans are attached on each side.
 The ship is made of aluminium, and 1 is inclosed. MT. Kunzel says it will ] float in water, and wheels attached to its bottom be can operated for travel i ing on land. He asserts it is capable of holding five men. besides an extra weight of from 1,200 to 1900 pounds. Its entire weight is $500 pounds. The cost of constructing it was $50,000. Mir Kunzel has been experimenting with aerial craft for more than twenty years, part of the time in Germany. Many of his inventions are patented. and patents are pending on the vital parts of the craft now planned. The i inventor has plenty of faith in the util- ity of the work when completed, and | believes firmly that his balloon and it's 1 operations would be of material ef- feet The inventor is making arrange ments for the building of the bird ship, and if its trial trip is successful ! it will be offered to the government.