Clearwater Republican., 1921-04-22
Air Liners to
Link World

each passenger, and about two tons
Of mail and merchandise. To put 1t
another way, Is tons would be avail
able for passengers, mails or mer-
chandise.
Comfort in aerial travel Is essen
tial If it is to have any extended fu-
tnre. The advantage of speed Is
thrown away If the passenger is
physically or nervOusly exhausted on
landing. But ample accommodations
can be provided for day and night
travel"
Sleepers Are Provided.
A proposed car has been designed by
Beardmore, at Dalmuir, in which spe-
cial attention has been given to the
Importance of giving each passenger a
good view. The windows are so ar
ranged that passengers can see both
outward and vertically downward
should they wish to do so. The passen-
gers sit facing each other with a table
between them, rather like large Pull
man car. If they wish, they can ar
range the chairs and tables for bridge.
"Sleepers are provided In the shape
Of hunks which fold down and allow
the passengers to sleep athwartship.
''The whole of the car will be heated
by steam generated from the engines,
and air will be admitted ut the forward
end Of the car, where 1t will be warmed
over radiators.
"One Is struck by the absence Of
noise or vibration in large airship,
and the absence Of smoke or dirt is a
great asset. The complete absence Of
seasickness Is also an important con-
slderation."
Craft Of the type described by Brig
adler General Maitland already have
been used In Germany on short pas
senger routes. The German Air Travel
company, formed In 1910 and financed
and managed by the Hamburg Amerika
Steamship line. ran regular passenger
excursions and town to town services
from 1910 to 1914. During this period
these airships made 800 flights, carry
ing $4,000 passengers without single
nishap involving personal injury. One
of the airships. the Vittoria Louise,
made 200 trips In 25O consecutive days.
The company was able to make q
profit, although the passenger rates
were reasonable. Since the armistice,
despite the unsettled conditions in
Germany, airships have been built for
special mail and passenger service
between Berlin, Munich and Switzer-
land. The first Of these ships, the Bo-
densee, ran regularly from June to
October last year, carrying 80 passen-
gers trip. 1t Is said that the Yep
pelin company is now negotiating with
American interests for the Organiza-
tion of an air service from Spain to
the United States and South Amer
lea, and Is designing giant ships with
speed Of 80 miles an hour for
this run. The ships will carry 100
passengers and their baggage, as well
as six or seven tons Of mail.
Valuable War Reserve Force.
The knowledge Of handling the light
er-than-air craft greatly increased
during the war. The ships were used
under all weather and atmospheric
conditions and did valuable service as
escort and convoy craft and also in
combat against submarines. Small
riglds were used to locate and
pursue the submarines and were able
to detect U-boat far below the sur
face. The new ships, In addition to
their duties as passenger vessels, can
easily be converted to purposes Of war
and will thus form a valuable air re-
serve force.
One of the developments recently
made In airship landing stations is the
mooring mast. which enables the air
ship to come to the ground and be
moOred even during bad weather. The
mast Is tall structure, with a swivel
nooring device at the top, from which
the airship swings.
Plans are now being prepared for a
nooring tower especially arranged for
use with passenger-carrying airships.
The revolving head Of the mast will be
provided with a powerful winch for
hauling in and shock absorbing buffer
Will enable the ship to be coupled up
without difficulty even in winds up to
50 miles an hour. Within the mast
there will be a passenger elevator by
which the passengers will ascend to an
upper platform, where they will cross
a gangway and enter the ship.
Pipe lines to carry hydrogen, gaso-
line and water to the ship also will be
run up the mast, and the vessel can
thus refuel at her moorings.