The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-19

| Washington. d. c.. June 18th,
enormous possibilities of the blimp. O.
dirlgible gas bag. as a safe means o
air travel are just beginning to be real
ICED. The interest OF governnent aero
nhuts is turning more. and more z
these lighter-than- air machines. wnci
can stop for repairs In midair ana are
independent OF landing fields.
Il would not be surprised IN a lev
years 70 see as many people nyinl
around In. dirieibles as there are e.
present riding In fiivverB' was the opti-
mistic view expressed BY one govern
ment expert on aeronautics. This type
| Of aircraft Affords the safest means, q
| travelling In the air and to my knowl-
edge there is not a single case on rec
! ord OF q dirigible crashing to earth al
| a result of the failure of its mechanism
| to function. If your engine develops
trouble while taking q flight an yoS
! while the machine Is supported IN the
| air by the gas bag, or envelope as IL IL
| scientifically called make the necessary
| repairs. The use of noninfiamniable
gas will practically eliminate all danger
The blimp consists Of a graceful.
tube shaped envelope, 200 feet In length
in some OF the larger types, filled with
gas. The rudders are attached TO the
envelope, from which is suspended a
light car. Most Of the mechanism Is
In the car, and there Is plenty OF space
also for the pilot and the other mem
bers OF the crew.
1t is not intended to develop the diri-
gible in competition with the airplane.
way. While q dirigible cannot make
the speed OF an airplane, as the top
speed attained so far is only about
seyenty-five miles per hour, it has a
In the air after its motor stops and can
land In any space large enough for the
body Of the machine.
Naval officers will recommend that
the United States adopt type of air.
ship based upon the Fundamental prin-
ciples Of the German Zeppelin plus inn
provements worked out by the British,
French and Italians and ideas gained
during the recent war.
In fighting the submarine menace the
dirigible was most effective weapon.
1t was also used advantageously in
searching for mines, guarding conveys
and scouting. The Italians, who pos
sess one of the best types OF dirigibles
IN use.. even bombed the enemy from
their rlimps. tt
It is the opinion Of Secretary Daniels
that the navy should make no effort
toward any large aerial expansion dur
ing the next few years. but should en-
gage in experiments to improve exist
ing types and the blimp will be one
type to receive much attention.
The naval bill which was one OF the
many measures that failed to pass the
last congress, contained an appropria-
ton of $10000,000 for the development
of the lighter than-air machines. in
At the present time the navy has a
feet of some fifteen dirigibles The
extraordinary flight few weeks ago of
the C*s to Newfoundland convinced the
naval experts that this craft could cas-
lily have made the flight across the
ocean. The dirigible is practically new
in the navy. the first one having made
it's appearance In January, 1917, many
years after the French. British, italians
During the past two years the navy has
made great progress In the develop
ment of the dirigible. and during a re-