Clearwater Republican., 1921-04-22
inventions Inersase safety.


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 can
be avoided by a change of course.
Laboratory investigations are now
being made Of the nature of the parti-
cles of moisture that forms fogs, and
1t Is hoped that some way will be
found Of dispensing fog, SO that local
clear area may be maintained about
the landing places. All landing places
are marked with brilliant electric bea-
cons and lighthouses are being erected
to guide night flying ships along aerial
routes.
Airships are even now safe form
Of travel. When rain, high winds or
electric storms approach they can seek
the higher air levels and so avoid dan
ger. The risks from fire have been
reduced to minimum, and the dan
ger Of engine trouble, ever present In
the airplane. is nullifed by the fact
our descending. Rigid airships never
have less than four engines. and 1t is
improbable that all engines will break
down at one time. Even II half the
engines broke down the ship could
travel at four-fifths of her normal
speed.
Public Demands Speed.
The airship has the advantage over
both the airplane and the steamship as
passenger craft. The airplane can
only travel 300 miles without stopping
at base for fuel and Is thus imprac-
ticable for long distance routes. 1t Is,
furthermore, of limited carrying ca
pacity, and the disagreeable features
Of noise and vibration cannot be done
away with. The great rigid, moving
steadily day and night and hav-
ing cruising radius of 1900 to
5000 miles, makes a far better passen-
ger ship. 1t has been suggested that
airplane routes could be used as feed
ers to the airship lines. small airplanes
carrying passengers to central point,
whence they could embark on the air
ships Of transoceanic and transconti-
mental lines.
When the lines are established the
steamships also will find them serious
competitors. The airship is infinitely
quicker and does not have the pitch
and toss that makes steamer travel
unpleasant. The demand for great
liners that cut down the time spent In
transatlantic travel shows that there
Is large class Of travellers who want
and will pay for speed. These people
will be the clientele Of the transatlan-
tic airship.
The shipment Of valuables, bonds,
stocks and bullion on the speedy air
liners will save the money lost in inter
est. and urgent mails should be shipped
In this way. Even at an ad-
vanced postage rate a letter Of thou
sands of words could be speedily trans
mitted in this way at the cost Of one
word Of a cabled message.
Advantage Over Steamship.
The advantages Of the airship over
the steamship and also the relative
cost Of travel are shown in the follow
ing table compiled by Brigadier Cen
eral Maitland:
England transit. Cost Of Time. Cost,
rtSn, tSm dsys syMs passage day. nr:, s elass e
Su:!l.,;: xI.Is:.: g: 3ss i;$ "-is ,;s.,,,
Speed, safety, and a new and thrill
ing form of travel will be thus COM
bined at a cost that, In view of the saw
ing Of time, Is relatively little greater
than the present steamship rate.
'"The continental air routes will come
frst," says Sir Trevor Dawson,
but the most important part Of air
travel will be that between Europe and
North America. They are the two
great continents, the continents that
have between them a steady flow Of
passenger travel. Air travel must
come. cutting down the time distance
between countries, and thus strength
ening the ties of business, trade and
international understanding. am
looking forward to the time when air
liners will bring London within two
days of America."-Otis Peabody Swift
in New York Tribune.