The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-07
BY EDWIN HULL1NGER.
DIV Airship Across the Atlantic.)


London, June 30.-"An aerial mail
from England to America, which.
believe within two or three years, will
grow into a frequent and dependable
transocean traffic, begins with the
voyage of the RIA to Long Island,
Howard F. Coffin, council of national
defense member of the aviation COM
mission, declared to the United Press
here today.
First Aerial" Interview.
In an interview which has the dis
tinction of being the first regular
news story ever carried across the
Atlantic by air cruiser, Coffin fore
cast that peace will speedily bring ire
mendous achievements in this new art
of transportation, SO uniquely a prod.
uct of the war.
THE United States in a like period
will be crossed and criss-crossed by
the transcontinental air limiteds," he
predicted.
Five years-perhaps less-should
see a great intercontinental air thoro-
fare between North and South Amer
ica.
All the continents will be con-
nected by crowded air routes during
the next decade. What this involves
IN international comradeship and pre-
vention of wars is obvious. For the
history OF ADVANCE Is
largely a history of the progress of
transportation.
Air Era Already at Hand.
This is the practical significance of
this third crossing of the Atlantic
within a month"
Coffin. a national authority on avia-
ton, was one of the first big automo-
bile manufacturers to offer his serv-
ices to the government in 1917. The
A ms RI via fSsf inn
in England recently on its research
tour thru the allied countries of Eu-
rope.
Several years-perhaps two or
three-should suffice to place cross
atlantic flying on a commercial basis"
Coffin said.
II believe a large volume of passen-
ger traffic will be released into the
Atlantic air channels the moment air
travel is demonstrated to be safe.
500 TO $1,000 a Trip.
Convinced they are not risking
surface passage, a large number of
business men on both sides will crowd
into the world speedsters. I would
think the first fares would be about
$500 to $1,000 one way from Ney York
to Liverpool.
Income from this alone would vir-
tually cover operating expenses-once
a line was established.
personally, I expect the first fleet
Of passenger liners to be seaplanes
rather than dirigibles. Owing to the
great cost of constructing dirigibles,
doubt whether capitalists at first will
want to sink such large sums in mi
tial outlay when they can draw fine
profits from airplanes, carrying IS to
so persons and costing comparatively
little to build and less to operate.
Air Palaces Later.
THE air palaces will come later"
Coffin plotted the probable routes
OF the first transcoAtinental air lines.
Three from east to west-one across
the north. a second half way down
and a third from Florida or Georgia
to south 9rn California, largely fol-
lowing rail lines.
OF five north and south, he drew
one straight down the Pacific coast.
thru Seattle, Portland. San Frar-
cisco and Los Angeles. Another
traced the course of the Mississippi.
A third connected Cleveland. Buffalo
and Washington, D. c. The fourth
skirted the Atlantic coast and a pos
valley along the base of the Rockies
Carrying Money Big Service.
"One Of the most important serv-
ices they will perform will be trans
porting money" he added. Now,
several days interest must accumu-
late before a check deposited in
New York can be cleared in Kansa
City. On large sums the interest lost
in this interval is astonishing.
Bankers tell me an air express
from New York to KANSAS City, thru
Buffalo. Cleveland, Detroit and Chi
cago will pay for itself just in money
saved in interest.
''In the case of transatlantic traf-
fic- the interest margin would be cut
between 500 and 700 per cent. This
would be long way toward defrayir z
cost of maintenance. but, of coul Sc,
TRANSATLANTIC operating expenses are
proportionatcly much heavier"