New-York tribune., 1902-05-13
LESSONS FOR AIRSHIP CRAYKS.

The list of modern enthusiasts who have
riced their lives to the art of aerial navigation
grows apace. Severe, like Lilienthnl and Pill
cher was killed while engaged In active expert
ment. and. II possible. In n more dramatic
fashion The presence of his family and a num-
ber of other friends and the fact that he met
his fate in what looked like an hour Of triumph,
rendered the event particularly impressive. Had
this voyage been conducted like some OF those
made under the auspices of Chanute and Lang
ley over the water instead OF over the land, the
result might have been very different Bungler
as he was in other ways. even Won Zeppelin
knew too much TO such risks.
In at least one other respect Severe showed
lack of prudence A new peril is created by the
type of airship that brings an engine in which
there is fire into close proximity with a big
reservoir of hydrogen. This has been so clearly
recognized by some designers that they have
made special, though perhaps inadequate, pro-
vision against il. Constructing the gas bag out
Of aluminium instead of oil silk is of the
expedents employed. Pains have been taken,
too, to guard the discharge from the overflow
and other valves OF the ship. Whatever safe
guards Severe adopted they were not sufficient
Within the last fortnight, it is said, he had
made a number of successful trials. but in the
crOwning experiment his reservoir exploded and
the buoyancy of the craft was instantly lost
Over land. as he was. and at an elevation Of
fifteen hundred feet. only one consequence could
ensue, and that with blessed swiftness.
II is doubtful whether Santos Dumont was
much better protected. however. though per-
haps a little more alert to the danger. On the
occasion Of his ascent over the Bay Of Monaco
last February a loose rope became entangled in
his propeller and the trim of the ship was
affected The dispatches reported that in this
predicament he feared an explosion and pulled
his rip cord, which enabled him to descend
| quickly. but without mishap Perhaps his mis-
! givings related primarily 10 the gasolene tanks
on which he relied for power. rather than the
gas bag which supported him in air However,
! If one had blown up the other would have gone,
too In point of recklessness there is apparently
little choice between the two Brazilians
While Severo's craft resembled that of his
| rival in general principles, it probably an
! improvement thereon I'm two details. The pro-
| portion of length to diameter In Santos-Du-
| mont's No. was about six TO one. The ratio
was five to two in the Paix. Severe himself
had adopted a more slender model in some of
! his earlier experiments. but for some reason
decided that the shorter, broader vessel was
/ preferable. 4 similar modification was made
| by Holland in the design of his later submarine
4
| quicker response TO the helm. No doubt the
! same advantage would be derived from the
| change in an airship. though there would also
! be an increase of atmospheric. resistance and a
| loss of speed. The most important of the other
! innovations that were introduced by Severe
was placing his propeller on line with the
! horizontal axis of his reservoir rather than at
the bottom of the suspended framework. Theo-
retcally, at least, this is better application of
power because the latter thus acts more di-
rectly against the resistance TO be overcome.
Just how far the addition of minor screws on
the sides of the framework, acting at right
angles with the direction OF advance. and thus
serving rudders, is a gain is not clear. De-
tailed accounts of the manRuvres are not yet at
| hand. Besides, that idea was not altogether
original with Severe
The present mania for aerial navigation is
likely to be aggravated. instead of being al
layed, by yesterdays accident. Like other craZes,
| this one must have its run. In a certain sense,