Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-05
1RITAlN'S AIR NAVY.
She Will Soon Have Five Dirisiblss
Each Longer Than One Before.

Each Longer man ohe oerore.
The British Government. having sat.
isfied itself that air vessels must form
uart of the country's war equipment
is now showing commendable energy
in getting together the nucleus Of an
aerial fleet. Until recently the ony
airship possessed by the military au-
tborities was the Beta, small vessel
of some 21,000 cubic feet gas capacity.
This dirigible was the only one EN-.
ployed in the autumn military maneu.
ycrs and the facility with which she
was handled came as revelation to
those skeptics who had hitherto re.
garded her as nothing better than
toy. Her performance has given rise
to discussion whether after all the
small dirigible airship is not Of more
use than the big type Of airship, at
any rate for scouting purposes.
The Beta was followed by the Gam.
ma, built on similar lines but much
larger, with a gas capacity of 1000
cubic feet and capable of carrying six
person against the Beta's four. The
Delta, an even larger vessel. is now
under construction. Very little Il
known about her, but it is reported
that she will be twice the size of the
Gamma The latest addition to the
British aerial fleet is the Clement.
Bayard II, a vessel of 247, 900 cubic
feet capacity, which recently made q
flight from Paris to London. the first
dirigible balloon to accomplish such a
feat.
Before the purchase of the Clement
Bayard had been completed newspaper
enterprises had been responsible for
tine appearance over London Of yet
another airship, which had also tray
eled from the neighborhood of Paris
This was the semi-rigid Lebaudy ves-
sci of $4,000 cubic feet capacity. The
Morning Post had already raised a
public subscription for the purchase
of this ship. There is no doubt that
the Lebaudy made a much better per-
Torrance in her fight to London than
did the Clement Bayard, and seeing
that her purchase will cost the Gov
eminent nothing it is practically GER
tain that she will be added to the Brit
ish aerial iieet.
But large as the Clement Bayard
and Lebauoy are there is being built
for the British navy an airship which
will easily surpass them in size. The
authorities are showing great
amount of secrecy with regard to this
vessel. Fred 7. Jane. editor of "All
the Worlds Airships." places its gas
capacity at 706,000 cubic feet. He says
that it is being built on Zippelin lines.
but of different material. 1t will ex-
coed in dimensions any dirigible in ex-
istence, being approximately the size
of "a Dreadnought. It's total life will
be about 20 tons. as against 10 tons
of the average dirigible.
Another writer says that the airship
is almost completed. Naval Airship
No. 1. as it is officially described. is be.
ing built at Barrow on the water: Il
Will be launched on the water and its
home station will be on the water.
Its gas capacity will enable it to re-
main away from its station for three
or four days. The shed in which the
vessel is being constructed is about
500 feet long by 1O5 feet wide and Is
quit over an inclosed strip of water,
so that when the vessel is launched It
VIII be drawn from the shed into the
open and will rest all the while on the
water
TWO gondola-lilke boats, one at each
ehd OF the airship. will preserve Its
ouoSancy on the water. An elaborate
ana ingenious arrangement of net
work and anchors will also be employ.
ed to steady the ship while at rest,
even during the stormiest of weather.
Inc boats will be the living quarters
of the two officers and six men who
are to work the vessel and they are
being fitted with every necessary con-
Vehlence, such as sleeping berths,
cooking galley, stores and so on, to
enable a cruise of several DAYS to be
maze. The boats are large enough to
accommodate at least so men. but all
the spare space will be devoted to the
storage or petrol. as hundreds of gal
Ions will be required on continents
iohs cruises. The engines have been
specially designed to meet the require
nients OF the Admiralty, and it is be.
heaeo that In moderate weather they
"!,i give the airship a speed of 80
mics an hour. The cost of the vessel
VIII not he far short og 100000.
Inc airsllip most needed by the
airiS' 1t Is stated, is one in which high
ana sustained speed is combined with
not too great a bulk. big vessel Of.
lerlns too conspicuous target for ar.
tiiery. The object is to secure fast
aerial scout for accommodating work,
eafdoie II necessary of mounting a
,lachine gun.-London Cor. New York