Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-03-10

by steam generated from the engines,
and air will be admitted at 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 d
great asset. The complete absence OF
seasickness is also an important con-
sideration.."
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
from 1910 to 1914. During this period
these airships made 800 flights, carry
ing $4,000 passengers without single
mishap involving personal injury. One
of the airshlps, the vittoria Louise,
made 200 trips In $50 consecutive days.
The company was able to make
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 b.
densee, ran regularly from June to
Oott Der last year, carrying 80 passen-
gers trip. 1t Is said that the Yep
pelin company is now negotiating with
American interests for the organiza-
ton 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 we'll
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
rigids 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 q 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 swivel
mooring device at the top, from which
the airship swings.
Plans are now being prepared for
mooring tower especially arranged fer
use with passenger-carrying airships
The revolving head Of the mast will be
provided with a powerful winch for
hauling in and a shock absorbing buffer
will enable the ship to be coupled up
without difficulty even In winds up to
80 miles an hour. Within the mast
there will be 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.
Inventions Increase Safety.
Many war discoveries aid In increas-
ing the safety Of airship travel. The
wireless direction finder makes 1t pos
sible for the ship to find 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 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 a 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 a minimum. and the dam
ger of engine trouble. ever present In
the airplane, is nullified by the fact
that repairs always can be made with
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-ffths Of her normal
speed.
Public Demands Speed.
The airship has the advantage over
both the airplane and the steamship as
a passenger craft. The airplane can
only travel 800 miles without stopping
at a base for fuel and is thus imprac-
ticable for long distance routes. It 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 a cruising radius Of 1000 to
5000 miles, makes 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.