The sun., 1919-02-09

| Torrance of Nedrnes. the French avn
ator, who caused his airplane to alighe
| on the narrow compass of Paris roof.
The friends of the dirigible have main
| tanned that as a hundred acre field 10
merely a pin point on the earth which
can be passed many times, an easier
and more Sedate method Of getting to
the ground commends the lighter than
air machine. II airplanes can settle 80
easily and precisely. tho plane scores
once more against the dirigiblc.
| The Caproni triplane and the strong
and huge airplanes OF the lIandley-
Page type have taken aloft from sixty
10 seventy passengers. True. they
havo not tho promenade decks on top
of the gas bag with which fancy has
invested the helium passenger levia-
than, hut they arc fairly roomy.
A rigid helium liner 600 feet long,
including the 100000 worth of gas
at the 10 cent rate, would reprc-
sent an investment OF probably 81 500.
600. The risks OF burning up being
so much reduced, such a craft should
be interesting to the wealthy adventure
Gus. 1t could carry a cargo of approx!-
mately thirty-eight tons. which would
allow for $50 passengers each with 4
reasonable amount OF luggage.
Opinions OF Some Experts.
Augustus Post. the secretary of the
Aero Club Of this city. is Of the opinion
that the knell OF the airship has not
been sounded and that such craft viii
have their uses tor carrying passcu-
gers and freight. lie sees develops
ncnt OF aerial travel along both lines.
Walter Wellman, who in his airship
America sought to reach tho north
pole and later with the same vessel,
enlarged. tried 10 cross the Atlantic,
is far from sanguine as to the future
OF the dirl-iblc.
ut is OF course said he entirely
possible TO cross tie ocean in an air.
ship. Had the America in which
made tho attempt encountered a north
wester near Halifax instead Of a stir
northeastcr ] have not tho slightest
doubt that we would have reached our
destination instead Of losing the sh!p
after it had been blown .loUn to beyond
liatteras. II will hc spectacular and
dramatic stunt when it il done Had
I believed that there was a future for
the lighter than air craft would have
kept up with the programme.
For purposes of exploration, for
pleasure, for tasting tho sweets of ad-
venture, for war purposes and for
great emergencies the airship has its
: uses. But il can never, in my opinion,
r he in the same class with tho power
: ful alrplaucs of the present day. The
, new machines have great lifting power
, and they arc capable OF transporting
7 -
! The statement has been made that
dirisibles can be propelled at the rate
, Of seventy-ive miles an hour. Even
If that were positively demonstrated.
the airplanc can do better. Tho air
plane IS often aided by even adverse
} winds. willie thu dirigible must depend
, upon Walking progress by taking ad-
| vantage Of favoring currents. The fine
; performances Of the hugo alrplanes
| developed IN the war show, to my
mind, in which direction lies the fu-
. ture Of aerial travel.
| Tho production of helium so
. chcaply that il can bo used for aero
nautical purposes * a matter of I'M
usual scientific interest. For war bal
looms, which tho enemy makes every
. effort 10 destroy. snch a gas, no mat
< tor how costly should prove OF value.
, The use pc hydrogen IN times OF peace
Ia not attended 10y so much risk as &,
I commonly supposed. As believe thin
y we have had the last great war, I am
= not convinced that the us- OF hclium
/, will he extensive.
con the Ameri a THO engines were
o quite close to III" hydrogen bags and
I mover considered tho fire risk was