New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-09
ACROSS OCEAN IN A|RSH|P
WeIIman and Vaniman to Make
Attempt in September.
WILL USE BIG DIRIGlBLE
Progress Will Be Reported by
Wireless to Ships and Then
to Shore Stations.

The first actual attempt TO cross the At
lantic Ocean in an airship Will be made
this summer by Walter WeIlman and Mel
vim Vanfman. It is expected that the two
men will make their start during the last
part of August or early in September, from
a base somewhere in the vicinity OF New
York City The air explorers will attempt
the trip under the auspices of THE New
York Times THE Chicago Record-HeraId''
and THE London Daily Telegraph Full
responsibility for the success or failure OF
the daring voyage through the adverse
winds and cloud banks that hover over the
Atlantic will rest on Wellman and Vani-
man, the newspapers mentioned aiding the
attempt only as purchasers of the news OF
the air expedition. If all goes well on the
voyage across the water London or its
vicinity will be made the eastern terminus
of the trip.
The airship in which this voyage will be
started is the great motor balloon known
as the America, especially constructed for
the WeIIrnan polar expedition The big gas
bag has already been submitted to severe
tests in voyages over the Arctic Ocean
north OF Spitzbergen-
When the airship starts on her three
thoUsand-nile voyage she viii have a crew
OF six men, including a Marconi operator.
and q complete equipment OF aeronautic
and navigation instruments. Some of these
have been specially made for this trip
The America has a carrying capacity of
more than eighty passengers and crew,
besides enough gasolene to last for a days
run. The fuel supply for the voyage across
the Atlantic viii be carried in a steel tank
of LOCO gallons capacity. Eighty tons OF
sulphurfc acid and sixty tons of iron turn
ings will be used for generating the hydro
gen, and hydrogen gas apparatus was re-
Gently shipped from Paris.
The proposed flight across the ocean holds
rich promise OF aeronauticaI engineering
and scientific data TO be gathered. Ever
since balloons aeroplanes and all ships that
sail through the air have had their being
in the minds of men there has been talk
OF bridging the watery chasIn between EJI-
rope and America by such craft, but the
proposed attempt by WelIman and Vani-
man will be the first actual move in that
direction.
The voyage of the America VIII have add
ed value, because she will bear full Mar
conf wireless telegraph equipment. by
means of which it is hoped TO keep in al
most constant communication with the
newspapers named 1t Is planned to &C
complish this by transmitting wireless mes
sages TO ships at sea, whence they will be
sent to land stations.
In point of size the America IS second
only 10 Count Zeppelin's monster atrship.
During the last winter and spring she has
been entirely rebuilt and enlarged at the
Weliman workshops, near Paris In her
present condition she is 22S feet long, with
a diameter OF % feet and gas capacity Of
5000 cubic feet The total lifting power
of this great gas bag Is $4,000 pounds
about twelve tons.
Suspended from the gas bag is a steel car
156 feet long and weighing 400 pounds
The balloon section. composed of three
thicknesses Of cotton and silk, with three
layers of rubber. weighs an equal amount
The rest of the equipment including the
crew Of six men and food supplies, weighs
about five thousand pounds. leaving about
ZEN thousand pounds available for carrying
gasolene
The airship is equipped with three motors
One OF 50 horsepower. will send the Amer
Tea through the air at the rate OF about
twenty miles an hour. and IS the motor
which will be used through most OF the
voyage She also carries a motor OF 20
horsepower which IT is planned TO hold IN
reserve when higher speed is desired. With
both motors working the ship will travel
about thirty miles an hour. The third
motor - Of about 10 horsepower. and VIII
be used to pump air and handle certain
parts of the machinery 1t is estimated
that from six 10 ten days Will be required
for the voyage across the Atlantic