New-York tribune., 1921-02-13

Three ctphers omitted.
rart OF the suggested plan for world
| S!rShlp routes is that these sbins ha
eltner sold or leased by the goyernmant
| 10 private corporation which shall
operate them. Government mail snh-
s!dles could be given and this in addj-
tion TO the revenue from passencer
| tranc should enable them to be rnn
proftably 'e iu''
The cost of initiating and maintain.
ing sueh service is not as great as
IS IS gehersily oeIleved. 1t only requires
1our or hve months to build an airshin
and even at present prices for 10 ait.p, bItr
and materials the cost is under 81 :.
100000. A considerable expense is the
establishment of landing stations. hut
once thIs cost has been met the main
talnance and personnel costs are small
1t would cost about sI,700, ,oO0 to cor.
struct base with shed accommoda-
tlons for two modern rigid airshins so-
day. W.
Valuable War Reserve Force
The knowledge of handling the light
er-than-air craft greatly increased dur
| ing the war. The ships were used nm
| der all weather and atmospheric CON
dltlons and did valuable service as es-
cort and convoy craft and also in com.
bat against submarines. Small rigids
were used to locate and pursue the sub
marines and were able to detect a II.
boat far below this surface. The new
ships, in addition to their duties as
passenger vessels, can easily be con.
verted 80 purposes of war and will thus
form a valuable air reserve force.
One Of the developments recently
made in airship landing stations is the
mooring mast, which enables the air.
ship to come to ground and be moored
even during bad weather. The mast
IS tall structure, with swivel moor
ing device at the top, from which the
airship swings.
Plans are now being prepared for q
mooring tower especially arranged fol
use with ssenger-carrying airships
The revolving head of the mast will be
provided with q powerful winch foi
hauling in and a shock absorbing butfe ell
will enable the ship TO be coupled ur
without difficulty even in winds up tc
eighty miles an hour. Within the ma
there will be passenger elevator by
which the passengers will ascend TO al
upper platform, where they will eros;
q gangway and enter the ship.
Pipe lines TO carry hydrogen, gaso
line and water to the ship also will b,
run up the mast, and the vessel ear
y.
Inventions Increase Safety
Many war discoveries aid in ircreas
ing the safety Of airship travel. The
wireless direction finder makes it pos
sibie for the ship tosfind her location
at all times and SO navigate success
fully in fogs. The increasing range
and sources of information of the
meteorological service aids in giving
weather forecasts that will warn air
craft of approaching storms, which ear
be avoided by change of course.
Laboratory investigations are now be
! ing made OF the nature of the particley
of moisture that form fogs, and it i:
hoped that some way will be found ot
dispensing fog, so that local eIea,
/, area may be maintained about ths
landing places. All landing places
are marked with brilliant electric
beacons and lighthouses are being
erected TO guide night flying ships
along aerial routes.
Airships are even now q safe form
OF travel. When rain, high winds .el
electric storms approach they can seel
the higher air levels and so avoid dan
ger. The risks from fire have been re
dueed 70 minimum, and the danger
of engine trouble, ever present in ths
airplane, is nuIliaed by the fact thai
repairs always can be made without
descending. Rigid airships never hav,
less than four engines, and il Is i'm
probable that all engines will break
down st one time. Even IL half thu
engines broks down the ship eoult