The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-07-22
zEPPEL|N'S views
ON AERIAL FLIGHT.
Says That Airships Are Practic.
able for Commercial Purposes
and Exploring
He PRAISES THE RIGID BALLOON
Count Claims IL is the Only Kind Of
Craft Which Is Suitable for Long
Distance Fliehts-Traffic ReguIa-
tions Needed on Air Paths.

Count Zeppelin, the inventor OF the
great Zeppelin dirigible war balloons,
has written an article on THE Con-
quest of the Air" which is printed in
Putnam's Magazine. The Count, for
the most part, confines himself to
facts and figures tending to prove that
his rigid balloons are the only kind
of airships that are thoroughly practi-
cable for long distance flights, but oc-
casionally he gives a glimpse of what
the future has in store for the COM
ing race of aerial navigators. The
Count does not entirely disregard the
field of usefulness of the small airship,
which he says may be of great use
within narrow limits. but he takes up
the questions of long cross-continental
flights, and reaches some astonishing
conclusions.
After giving some preliminary fig
ures which the Count considers nec-
essary for the proper presentation of
his subject, leading to the conclusions,
he says that in his newest type OF
airship he has a vessel which can rise
from Lake Constance with twelve per-
sons on board and remain four days
in the air, covering in this period
some $500 miles. If necessary, the
Count says. the ship could carry twen-
ty men, providing it did not have to
travel very high in the air. The air.
ship will carry completely closed-in
room for sleep and work. The radius
of movement of his airship, which
carries an engine in reserve, is only
limited by the supply of benzine.
which could easily be replenished at
towns along the route.
Traffic regulations concerning the
height of paths through the air will
have to be made as soon as airships
become common, says the Count. Dur
ing the worst time of the year for high
and contrary winds, the Count says
that he could travel from Berlin to
st. Petersburg. to Moscow, to Con-
stantinople. in approximately four
days. With average conditions the
journey could be made in forty hours
and under favorable conditions in
from twenty-five to thirty hours, much
less than the best railroad time.
Unknown countries may be explored
in safety and with dispatch by COM
panies OF men making long journeys,
or comparatively short flights of 200
miles at time. "By such MEANS"
says the Count. calmly 'the airship
will enable men to open up and an
mex remote portions of the globe, and
xtyhA
are no railroads"
The Count says that airships will
prove perfectly practical as CONNER
cial propositions. II assume, for in
stance" says he," the foundation of
airship communication between Ber-
lin and Copenhagen. The capital
needed for one airship, main station
at Berlin and landing station at
Copenhagen. would be about $3.50, 900.
The revenue, allowing for one hundred
flights to Copenhagen and back to
Berlin each year (the time of that
trip one-half the present system).
with an average of twenty-five travel
ers each paying $3.50, would amount
to s62, 800 year." The expenses, ac-
cording to Count Zeppelin, would be
$37 800 leaving a profit of $4,000. or
ten per cent. on the capital.
The Zeppelin airships are. then, not
too expensive for frequent use. The
Count says that only few very rich
men could use them for pleasure, but
the number o. these men will be
greater than those who can purchase
ocean-going steam yachts. In war
time no expense would be thought too
great for the information which the
flying scouts could obtain. And moth
ing will be thought Of the outlay on
an airship when by its means a colony
can be acquired, and unexplored ter
ritory opened up for civilization.
The effect of airships will be to
create a bond of union between ma
tions, and aerial travel will be regu-
lated by international treaties. Air
navigators before starting will obtain
from consuls regular ships papers,
giving the number of passengers car
ried, and the amount of mail matter
ant merchandise. International COM
munication on these lines will be