The Washington herald., 1911-10-22
ENGLAND Is ALIYE
TO AIRSHIP VALUE

London, Oct. H.-The recent dis
aster to the great naval airships at
Barrow and the sharp criticism of the
press have, it is said, at last caused
the British admiralty and war depart
ment to adopt saner views with regard
to the development of military aeronau-
tics in England. Four aeropIanes have
been ordered from the Bleriot Company
in France, and a British war Office ex-
pert is now in France attending the
military competitions for heavier than
air machines that are taking place at
Rheims
This complete change of official atti-
tude is primarily due undoubtedly to
the remarkable lessons taught by the
army maneuvers held recently and al
most simultaneously in France and Ger
many. Comparatively little notice has
been taken in this country of the part
played by aeroplanes at the maneu
Vers; yet the results obtained in utilizing
the heavier than air machine for pur-
poses of war cannot but have been most
important. One may judge this from
the fact that as soon as the operations
came to a conclusion, the Kaiser, in one
of his characteristic speeches, declared
that the money spent on military avia
ton in Germany was quite insufficient.
A few days later a Semi-official an
nouncement was issued to the effect that
there would be a substantial increase
Tor the purpose of aeroplanes in the
German budget over the $375OOO voted
last year. Similarly, in France, the
budget for 1872 for military aviation was
at once raised TO nearly 100000.
A New AirShip Idea.
Curiously enough, simultaneously with
the British governments decision to
give up further experiments with dirig-
ibles, comes the news that a young en-
gineer of noble birth, Baron A. Boenne.
has just been granted patent rights in
England for an improved airship, which
promises to be wOnder-if the inven-
tion can be successfully worked out.
Baron ROenne, who has already de-
signed and built number of dirigibles,
believes he has solved the problem bear
ing on the equal distribution of weight
in a lighter-than-air vessel. According
to him the number of accidents to air
ships would have been almost nil had
the constructors given greater impor-
lance to the question.
In order to preserve this essential re-
Quirement of flight" the inventor ex-
planned to me yesterday, my airship
will be so built that the passenger car
o will be exactly of the same length as
the framework. Once l found the means
of obtaining an equal distribution of
weight, the remaining CONSTITUTIONAL de-
tails were comparatively easy TO work
out.
AS planned by myself. the new air
ship will have aCCOmmoda tion for 400
passengers and be capable OF remaining
aloft for at least a week She will be fit
ted with fifteen motors, each developing
l20-horsepower. and this aggregate
power of 1.SOO will, l am confident. en-
able her to travel at a speed of forty
five miles an hour, and this in a forty
mile wind
Another wonderful feature OF Baron
Roennes projected airshrip is that at a
height of 1900 feet, she will be absolutely
invisible. 1t is by the method Of equal
ization of light and shade-that the in
ventor claims that ii is impossible TO
secure invisibility for the airshps while
IN the air.
The cover or envelope of the airship
il made of chromium. a metal possess
ing a highly polished surface, which is
perpetualIy retained by a covering Of
transparent varniSh Therefore, the
metal is equivalent to mirror, and it
is by reflection that the invisibilty is
obtained. The surface and sides of the
polished envelope naturally must reflect
the same COlOT-bright or murky, aC-
cording to the weather and blend with
its environment.
1t Is with the lower part OF the polished
balloon, which reflects the earth in its
mirror, that the main difficulty of the
invention was encountered.
Being darker than the sky, the reflect
ed earth must cause this part of the
huge envelope to stand prominently in
the lighter atmosphere. This difficulty
is overcome by making the sides of the
keel, which is TO be as long as the bal
loon. also rejecting mirrors, and by
0laCing the keel triangular lOngitu-
dinal ribs. With the aid of these ribs the
keel reflects the shades of the air onto
the lower part of the balloon and thus
obliterates the reflected darkness of the
earth. In other words, it equalizes light
and shade.