The evening times., 1898-10-06
This AIRSHIP Will FLY
A German NObleman's SOlu-
tiOn of All Problems.
LOOKS LIKE A LEAD PENCIL
Capitalists and Scientists Lend
Their Approval to Count Zeppe-
Inns Unique Invention-Goes Fast
and Steers weIl-yOyage Across
the Atlantic in Four Days.

Vienna, Oct. 6.-AmOng the transatlantic
arrivals in New York next Spring may be
Count Zeppelin's balloon, with a highly
select passenger list and record of four
days from some European port.
Ihis Is conjecture, of course but it is
founded on very sober facts, and encour-
aged by the judgment of scientists and
financiers. In a word, Count Zeppelin is
credited by men whose opinion is worth
something with having really solved the
problem of aerial navigation More i'm
portant still. a company has actually been
formed. with a capital of 10000 forms
(s2lJ, 600, to work the invention, and its
first important enterprise will be a balloon
voyage 10 America
Count Zeppelin is a German nobleman
who has devoted his fortune and his entire
attention to the problem of air flight.
From the very beginning he has confided
himself to the improvement of the balloon
in the direction of making it obedient to
the will of the aeronaut.
Ihe principles of aerial planes have not
tempted him, despite the progress made
by Maxim and other inventors. He has
pelieVed that the only safe factor of buoy
.A-SS - ti4S ~ iiiiiAiNS one Oh Il Fascinated
Dag, and has spent years of study and ex-
pertinent i'm the endeavor to make such a
bag diriGable and give il propulsion.
AT IenSth the inventor has perfected
his vehicle of the clouds. He can make
II travel. and travel fast More than
TINS he can steer it. When Count Zep-
pe!in hovers over New York the inhab-
liants VIII see an objest suggesting in
| form a huge lead pencil. The sharpen
ed end will be the PROV From The sides
| VIII project propellers, resembling cleo
| trio fans and driven by the same mo-
| tive power
One unique feature about Count Zep-
! pelin's balloon is that the pencil-shaped
structure contains several small bal
| looms, inflated independently of one an
| other This is a provision analogous to
| the construction of water-tight compart-
| mcnts in the hold of a ship A leaking
balloon means sinking balloon, just as
| a leaking ship means a sinking ship ex-
! cept that the balloon leaks out and the
ships leaks In. The multiplying of gas
| bags diminishes this danger and has
an important bearing in other ways on
the navigability of the vessel
In a closed car. running the length OF
| the balloon underneath and furnished
with windows. are the electric and other
| apparatus, and ample accommodations
| for passengers. Underneath this again
| is the ballast. consisting of a long tank
| divided into compartments, in such a
| way that by transferring the bulk of the
| water to one end or another, the center
! of gravity can be changed, and the bal
| loon steered downward or upward, as
the case may be. The structure meas
ures 300 feet over all in length. In other
words, ii is as long as what would have
| been considered a few years ago a large
| passenger steamship.
Scientists of eminence have tested the
| apparatus, and pronounced it perfect
| Hence the alacrity with which financiers
| have put their money into the project
| Four days is the time scheduled for
| crossing the Atlantic, and the airship is
! credited with the capacity for an eight
| day voyage, which would carry from
| Europe clear across to San Francisco.