Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1921-10-08
.3is
URGES HEL|UM TO
FLOAT AIRSH|PS
Manning Says Rare Gas Is Non.
Explosive, and Therefore
Safer Than Hydrogen.
MOST ABUNDANT IN U. S. A.
Il 10 Now Recovered From Natural
Gas-More Experimental Work In
the Production Of Helium
Urged by Van r. Manning.

ashington.-Further experimental
work In the production Of helium as
q substitute for hydrogen gas for
dirigibles Is urged by Van II. Man
ming. former director of the United
States bureau of mines and new d.
rector of research for the American
Petroleum institute The terrible loss
of life in the ZR-2 disaster at Hull,
England, Mr. Manning declared, ac-
centuates the need for an intensive
development of helium here.
1.-THE military and commercial use
of hellum for dirigibles," said Mr.
Manning, as generally recognized, al
though to date no practical utilization
Of this gas has been made except by
the government. In the spring of 1917,
as the director of the bureau Of mines
I approved a preliminary investigation
as to the possibilities Of the produc-
ton Of helium as war measure, and
as a result a cooperative effort was
instigated by the Interior Army and
Navy departments looking toward the
solving of a problem which was i'm
portant to our own and our allies In
terests. Prompt and quick results
were desired.
Results Satisfactory.
ut can be said to the credit OK
these branches Of our government
that satisfactory results were OBJ
tanned, although not In time to put
into actual service dirigibles filed
with helium. Ample funds were al
loted by the Army and Navy depart
ments to the bureau Of mines, 1nte-
rior department, and experiments were
Immediately begun with three proc
esses. One process was proved to
be successful, another not wholly sue
cessful and the third plant has been
operating experimentally UP to a few
weeks ago. The fact is that the gov
eminent is now operating q large
helium production plant with ca
pacity Of 10000 cubic feet Of hellum
per day.
Mai. P. e. Van Nostrand of the
United States army, who was to have
been one Of the officers on the ILL
fated ZR-2, was one Of the collabora-
tors In the development of this work
and fully appreciates the importance
of hellum for dirigibles and balloons,
is credited by the press with the state
ment that had the ship been filled
with helium 1t is doubtful If such an
accident could have happened
Expense Justified.
"As one who had to bear the respon-
sibility for the experimental work
until year ago, l cannot emphasize
too strongly the statement that the
government expenditures, large as
they were, in separating helium from
natural gas for use In dirigibles,
whether for military or commercial
purposes, have been thoroughly justi-
fed, and 1t will be obvious to any
one who has even a superficial idea
of the uses for helium that ample
funds should be forthcoming from the
government and private sources to
carry on further experimental work.
The government Is now the chief user
Of helium, and I should like to direct
the attention of our country to the
Importance Of continuing active and
immediate development of the rigid
airship and helium programs previous
ly undertaken by congress to the end
that the officers and men who forfeited
their lives may not have died in vain"
The story Of heilum was described
by Mr.. Manning as zone Of the 70.
mances Of science" ut may be of
interest at this time," he said, ITO
know something of helium and the
development in the production to date.
Scientists admit that its discovery
was one of pure science. 1t was first
discovered in 1868, In India. while
scientists were making observations
of an eclipse Of the sun. Scientists
agree that the occurrence Of helium
is in the air, in sea and river water,
in rocks and mineral springs, In gey-
sers and in volcanic gases, but the
only quantities on large scale car
he recovered from the natural gas of
the United States"