New-York tribune., 1907-08-11
NEW DEVICES USED.

The America is described by him gigantic in
proportions. steel musced, full lunged, strong
hearted. built for war. for work. for endurance.
able TO fight the winds that sentry the pole and
perhaps defeat them. The cigar shaped balloon is
1s3 feet long. with maximum diameter OF over
52 feet, and from the bottom OF the car to
the top Of the balloon the distance is 65 feet.
about the height of a four-storied house The
cotton. silk and rubber envelope which forms the
balloon would half if spread out
and weighs about two tons.
The is a marvel of skill in both design and
construction 1t Is 115 feet long feet high and
feet wide, shaped like the letter W. and is
built entirely of the finest steel This triangular
shape was adopted in building the to obtain
tensile strength and also 70 provide under
the platform for a gasoene tank capable of carry
ing 1.l50 gallons of this fuel for the motor The
is divided into fourteen sections each of which
is little eight feet in length. In the first sec
ton is the navigating deck. In the second the
motor and machinery and in the third is the cabin
where the crew sleep and eat and where spare
supplies are carried. The strange craft is pro-
PEELED by two twin screw propellers made of the
finest steel, eleven and a half feet in diameter,
driven by an eighty horsepower Lorraine-de Die
trlch motor Upon the top of the great tank which
forms the body IS placed a light board runaway.
giving the access to every part of the car.
This runway is only six feet from the bottom of the
balloon and all valves and rigging within
reach Of a standing upon the framework. All
the suspension apparatus which binds the car to
the balloon steel cables of the highest tensile
strength. The weight Of the ship fully loaded is
22,S40 pounds.
This aerial monster is intended 10 be naViEated
in much the same manner the mariner naYigates
his ship upon the The direction of flight
will be ascertained by means of compasses. A
Yog lowered to the eartfl's surface will give the
velocity at which the machine is travelling. In
order 10 ascertain position sextant has been fitted
up with spirit level. which will give the horizon
accurately There is also second sextant
equipped with a gyroscope similar 10 that used
nv the French navy on its submarines. 1t will be
,,sed 10 ascertain the correct sea level BY means
Of these the navigators OF the strange
craft will be able ascertain exactly where they
Gro inst as the mariner finds out at sea through
making his observations of the sun at MONDAY
The manner In which the America has been con-
sfr,,ctad in relation to the task she is about to
undertake. has been matter Of close mathemati-
col calculation. Never before has an airship been
desienes 20 make so long voyage. The condf-
.tons are of unique There can be no
nor, of cali on the trip where fresh supplies can
no taken on board. A complete cargo OF all kinds
for the whole voyage must be shipped at the start
tncludinr q supply of fuel for the motor.
The distance from Danes Island TO the pole is
.nown TO be sls miles. The speed OF the America
t SIN etosphere Is estimated at fifteen miles an
hour and every hour the driving motor is in oper-
alton II consumes forty-four pounds of sasolene
tout Of a store of $3.50 pounds carried. The fuel
.upply therefore. provides for 15o hours OF
s1eaAy motoring ~ the rate oS 03teaa miles an