The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1920-12-24
Prediction Is Made That Huge
Graft Will Be Used in Regular
Transatlantic Trips.
AIR LINER IS ON THE WAY
Long Distance Craft Of the Future May
Be Plane, but Experts at London
Conference Predict Lighter.
Than-Air Type.

London.-In awarding prizes recent
~ for new types of airplanes built by
British manufacturers. the govern
ment took occasion to deplore what II
viewed as a retrogression in the field
OF aerial research. Manufacturers of
aircraft, In answering the criticism, re-
piled that one could not hope, In times
of peace, for as rapid developments as
were possible when the exigcncies of
war made expense and human life com
pnratively Of little importance.
Nevertheless, some bold predictions
have been made at the air conference
i which met at the Guildhall. There
were, of course. speeches which embod-
Jed the dreams of every reader Of
Jules Verne or III. G.. Wells, aid there
Were graphic pictures of the great air
liners OF the future. But there also
were sober talks by distinguished sci
entists, who paid more attention to
such practical details as wing tips and
automatic controls than to visions.
The air liner Is on the way. there Is
no doubt about that; but 1t Is going to
come as result Of tireless and patient
research and experimenting; 1t Is GO
ing to embody detail here aud a sug-
gestion there, and when 1t is finally
turned out on profitable basis it
will provide a mode of travel AS safe
as and infinitely more swift than any
land transport.
Craft Eight Hundred Feet Long.
The long distance aircraft of the fu-
vure may be an airplane, but 1t is more
likely that lighter-than-air type will
prevail.
What are the requirements for a
craft capable Of carrying out a sus-
tatned flight, say, from England to
Australian
According to the experts ut the
Gulldhall, each craft would ne about
500 feet long, with gas capacity Of
at least 4,OOO0 900 cubic feet. The ar"
dlrigibles already constructed In Eng
land hold more than 3,00O,000 cubic
feet, so that this seems by 30 means
an impossible provision. An average
speed of 60 miles an hour would be
Notwithstanding already achieved.
II is estimated that dirigble con-
structed on this basis would carry 100
passengers, for whom comfortable,
properly heated and we'll ventilated
living, dining and sleeping quarters
would be provided.
Inasmuch as the dirigible would fly
In a direct line. It would be able to
make the London-Cape Town journey
in Ave days, whereas the ocean trip
now requires 10 days. India might
be reached in four days, as against 16
at present
Even though passenger-carrying at
first might not prove practicable, II
seems probable that before long mails
for the fringes of the British empire
may be carried by the air route. II Is
calculated that the whole weekly mail
from Britain for Egypt, South Africa,
India, Australia and New ZeaIsnd
could be transported In one diriglble
for each route. Sir Trevor Dawson.
vice-chairman Of vickers, Limited.
the great aeronautlc firm, Is authority
for the statement that the fire danger
for dirlgible is really no greater
than that of any ocean liner.
One Of the great drawbacks to the
use Of the dlrigibIes--the difficulty OF
housing them in storms-may he avoid
I'd by mooring them to great masts