The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-01-06

Sttenpt tFdHsaNIdnsiC 'fSft LeICfc
Outbreak Of tho War-Faetories Here
Kept Busy.
American built aeroplanes OF the fly-
ing boat type. which. In the opinion Of
experts. could easily cross the Atlantic
Ia a single blight. are being used by
Great Britain for the protection of its
war and merchant ships So amazing
~ have Yankees developed aviation to
meet the demands of the European
conflict that the transatlantic tiight, re
garlcd as a risky experiment when
projected by Lieutenant John Cyril
Porte last year could now. II Is said
be accomplished with comparative ease
When Rodmnn Wanamaker ordered
an oversee fier for Lieutenant Porte's
adventure and the Curiiss company re-
sponded with the dying boat America
1t was hailed rs the last word In heav.
Ter than air construction But us has
50 often been proved there Is no last
word In aviation The America has
been succeeded 10y the super America.
II third larger than It's predecessor. with
10 more horsepower I'm its engine, with
Improvements in the way of fuel econ.
omy. stability ana general safety thar
make the original America seem a
cookie shell IN comparison.
According to Henry Woodhouse. a
governor of the Aero club of America.
the Curtiss factories in Buffalo are
turning out twelve of these amphibious
dreadnaughtS every day and the Cur.
tiss Canadian factory In Toronto Eve.
virtually all these machines are being
shipped to England. most OF them In
parts. to be assembled on the other
side.
Factories Kept Busy.
Great Britain bought the original
America and used 1t during the FIRST
six months of the war for hunting and
destroying German submarines. In
June last twenty more of the same
type were ordered. and these were
shipped from New York In July. 1t
was apparently In September that
Glenn Curtiss marketed his first super.
America from his factories I'm the Unit.
cd States and Canada. He has tried TO
guard the details of this work. but 1t Is
said that his force In the Buffalo facto.
rieS alone has been increased from fifty
to 200 employees since the war began.
II believe" Mr.. Woodhouse said.
that there would be no trouble at all
In crossing the Atlantic with the super
America. Generally speaking, II Is one.
third larger than the first America.
The latter Tying boat had two motors
OF hundred horsepower each. The
new one has two motors of 100 horse
power each. For a long voyage It could
also be supplied with an auxiliary mo- |
TOR operating water propeller. so that |
II anything happened TO the regular
propellers the machine could descend
and make good time through the ocean. !
Can Carry Five Passengers.
The new flying boat can carry load !
OF 5000 pounds. including four or Eve |
passengers. and can travel as fast as |
ninety-five miles an hour. There are /
tanks for about 1850 pounds OF gaso- |
line and oil. Although the horsepower
has been increased by 100. the whole
consumption Of fuel IS less than that
OF the old America ! should say the
machine could easily travel from New
foundland to tho Azores and have
three or four hours fuel left In re-
serve when 1t got there.
ut is equipped with an improved
Sperry drift dctcctor. whereby the pilot ;
can tell whether or not he's on his
course and can also calculate his
speed.
1T Is well To remember that this
country develOpcd the first aeroplane.
the first hydroacroplane an9 the first
flying boat. and that all of the inven.
tlveness shown 10y America could be
turned 10 account for America in case
OF need here. Other countries that are
now fighting have developed large and
capable land machines. but only Eng
land has the American boat, the use of
which ~ a weapon AGAINST submarines
needs li'tlc comment
THE old America has had a great
career since she left our shores For
the first six months shn was used In
hunting submarines. aud il Is known
that she sank M least thres. Then she
went on inspection duty, carrying oh,
servers ana commanders from point to
point IN almost absolute safety Now
she Is being used IN the training of
aviators,
Faster Than Submarine.
"The dying boat travels six times
faster than submarine and three
times faster than battle cruiser
Submarines and warships have Ia
carry their own base Of supplies ms II
We're. The aeroplane darts back 10 its I
base and out over the water again.
From cruisers deck the observer is
lucky II he describes the periscope Of n
submarine. The aeroplane observer.
looking down. can make ont subma-
rine even If II l. sixty feet under wa
ter. and below that depth n submarine
Is useless. The dying boat Is. In her
way. three times ~ efficient as a cruls-
er, yet instead Of costing sl.5O0,O0O II
costs $4,000. aud crew ~ two or
three men Is plenty"