The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-10
DIRIGIBLE BALLOONS SOR van.


slill proceeding with III. obstruction ~ The
latter AMI providing themselves ~iIh neeis
for uss In NAr
Germany has taken the lead IN The develop
ment of this war material and it, feet of
air-hips ~ well known aud needs M de-rrtp-
ton here The other nations of Europe
have not been - successful still. they are
alive To the Importance Of the subject lnas-
much az tho chief signal OFFICER OF our army
has asked for the last Two wears for proper
appropriation from Congress with q view To
developing oar own airship fleet and hopes
TO obtain rea sonable sum for that purpose
during the next session Of Congress. II Will
he OF Interest To note what other nations are
doing Ia this domain
NeNt To Germany in the consiru elton OF
airShipz stands France. The French always
take M new ideas with enthusiasm and they
succeed In AC, omplishing great things In q
compa rativelY short time. 80 It was With
the diriRibl~ balloon. but the unfortu innate
acrident 10 the air-hip Republicans and the
sudden appearance of another new idea IN
the form Of the asroplane caused France to
lose interest In the dirixible and tn take up
the heavier than air machine with an en-
ihu-iasm that has affected the whole world
The French airShip industr nv Was ~ one time
Tar ahead ot the German. hut the lack OF In
tere-i inspired by early failures and losses
enabled Germany Ia surpass her rival in this
respect To-day France IL entirely absorbed
m the aeroplane. and the dirtRble h. hardly
spoken OF even in military circles Never
thele~-, the army Possesses three typea OF
dirigihleS, namely. the non rizid Clement
Havard and Zodiac. and tho semi rigid
ebaudN. The non rigid French types
however. are practically not strictly non
rigid hut semi rigid. in that their sondola
- so long that II differs little IN that respect
from the keel Of the semi- rigid system, and
therefore loses the great advantage aacribed
10 the non rigid system that consists in be-
ING able to transport the gondola, without
taxing " apart. on n single wagon. an cd
vantage on which IT. Use with the advance
troops OF The held army largely deI,euds
The --latest deliveries Of French airships n
foreign Governments have not been satla-
factory The spanish air-hip EspanI.
OF The Clement Rayard type the Russian
airship Iohedi. ~ the l.ehaudy tyne.
and the Austrian one aIap of the latter
type. have not frlhlled eNpertations The
Zodiac typ" app@ars 10 no the only really
effective type, hut even this ha. not
shown itself particularly eficlen' II was
constructed ~ the Nsllet works A. P,iieauN
near Paris factory nn'ed for 49, careful
reliable and accurate work The same
works are ~ present making the airship
invented nv Spices. an Af~ltian. witch
: an imitation of the German Zeppaltn
and will probably have the Advantages
but unfortunately also the disldvanta yes
If IN" rigih system
Another French air-hip deserves mention.
namely N" Male"ot de-Rnated by the
inventor asa ny,ng machine with tn. Iold
AIKEN on n represents the first at'sHipt
a. MIXED system. dirigihle and aeropl 4 ne
combined. ~ which there are. under the
gas hotv, q number 81 kite planes along
me entire length ~ m" airship The ad van
tage n this Is that. regard n z II a. dirigihle
balloon. the Malecu' aiTshtp IN case 81
serious INJURIES 10 The balloon envaIopa.
can hv means 81 ~ kite planes prevent
the sudden fall of m" entire airship nv
virtue Of their gliding property II l.
only question whether the security against
fall 10 sufficient 20 warrant the rsduct ION
"a useful iosd due 10 the weight II the
gliding planes
ar all the more important European m
tons aside from Germany and France
which have entered on the construction Of
airships. Belgium has been N. most en.r-
RetiC aud -uCceSsful up to the present time
The first Belgian airship. BeIg,Ine 81
200 cubic meters capacity. IL informed ate
IN tyne between III. Iehaudy and the
clement Rayard airships " did not have
The necessary huovanoy and was defective
In other respects hence ~ wa- rebuilt. The
capacity bong increased 90 90 cable
entirely ~ home ma'"r.aI the enveIop~
alone helng n foreign m1se The Belg an
manufacturers are rivalling thos. Of der
many and France Thi- vas apparent a.
The Brri~sHls exposition where the Relaian
exhibit was very little behind those Of Ger.
many and France The airshtp Belgique
n belongs 20 Na~sra Goids-hmidr and
SnIvay Of BruS-'ls II viii have ~ nr-'
trails very soon smother airshtp. la vile
ie BruNelle~. ~ . "'o cubic meters capacity.
resembling the French clement Rayard tyne
~ nov IN process ~ construction
BEFORE the end ~ the present year inter
national prize competitions for air-hips are
10 take place IN brussels IN connection with
the exposition. but y appears that the
French ar" not inclined 10 take nar'. conae-
uuen'lv the PArSsval airship. huil' nv the
IuftfahrH"ug Ga-ellschaf'. viii h. the only
ronte-tani. and lnismuch ~ the provi-
sions of IN" Federation Acronau'iutie Inter
rationale. under which all contests take
place, require mors than one contestan, IN
each case. the Psr@eVal balloon will prob
ably also retire. and N" Grands Concours
ln'"rnationauy will have tn he given M
England has held back for vearS on the
subject Of aviation but l. gradually begin
n,nE to Yield ~ the pressure ~ public opIn-
ion The reason that England has not thus
FAR devoted to this subject the attention
was to he sNpsctei from Rrest q
world Power Is that air-hips and aeroplanes
have not had the same SIGNIFICANCE for
Ensland- preparedness for war a. they
have had on the Continent Of Europe and
in all probability the succession Of accident.
and failures Of the early English ATTEMPT.
~ airship construction had considers bile
effect In dampening the ardor OF inventor.
A. well ~ that ~ the public England has
at present, however. ready for service. q
small "ir-hip called BABY. about I'm feet
a - Al