The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-01-27
Sixty Hours to Europe.

| Since the famous cross Atlantic flight
Of R,34 in 1919 there have been many
( literary antiepations, more or less fam
jciful. Of the time when travel between
I Europe and America win have passed
from the extraordinary into the cong
monplace. But no plans and specitica-
Itions" showing how a regular service
Of this kind could be instituted and
made to pay A work on Commercial
Airships" Just issued in England now
supplies this lack with program which
at once appeals to the practical mind
and impresses the Imagination. As the
experts work out the problem, we
should have three giant airships IN the
cross ocean traffic. two in use at time,
the third standing by. SO that each
ship could be laid mp periodically for
overhaul One crossing q week q re-
garded a, sufficient for all immediate re-
quirements 4 j. proposed 20 carry 100
passengers an each trip, with allowance
for ten and a half tons of mails and
light freight-in all about - tons At
the average speed provided for London
would be reached from New York and
New York from London in from 30 to
co hours or about two and 2 half days
Financing Of the plan would call for
-sl2 500 .O00. 10 include three ships cost
ing S2.500 900 each. two airship sheds,
two mooring towers, land for the aero
dromes. offices, workshops wireless. ac-
cessories and working capital. For de-
probation a little more than $500,
600 Is allowed: insurance j. estimated
at 10 per cent for the ships and two
per cent for the sheds and shops; estsh-
lishment expenses, repairs and main
tenance would bring up the annual
charges to 50 .567 600 The running costs
for each crossing being Sll $50, making /
81 10000 for the vear. the annual eX
pcnse thus works out 10 4,137 600. The 1
experts add ten per cent on the capi- 1
tai. assume that only an average of /
50 per cent of the possible paying load /
would be carried, and finally arrive at 1
a cost Of S2s5 per passenger and +
freight cost per ton of S2.s75. including 1
q charge Of about sl20 for every pound +
Of mail matter. 1T is estimated that
at most seasons Of the year there would
be a full complement Of passengers;
he saving Of time on the mails IS held
to Justify the expectation that freight
would be- forthcoming And experience
has shown that accidents OF weather
would interfere less with first class air
,hips than with steamships or even
railroad trains.
Such a program. of course, i still &
in the air" Commander Sir A. Trevor
Dawson. who introduces il 10 the pub
ic i Of the opinion that 1t has still
q e. proved that airship fleets can BE-
operated and maintained financially on f,
he passenger and freight rates than
an reasonably be eNacted for the serv
~ rendered But De urges that a
rial should be made Of some such pro
ram. either as = purely state service ]
n II association with the great ship
ing companies. On his showing some
hing must b. done ID Germany g. not
% take ths lead: she has already r. {
abiish,, ser own passenger airship Z
crvice. siuee the war. and had i not {
lean for the restrictions placed on air I
raft by the peace treaty might even J
.oV D. trading iu this way 90 America {
nd the cast Which of the great p0u !
q. s Is carry io its ier.eal conclusion {
he achievement u 1919 Boston {
leraid.