South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-01-27
BLIMP SAFETY Is
AIDED BY HELIUM
New Gas Will be Used for
Dirigible Purposes 10y
American Government.

WASHINGTON. Jan. ga he
bum filled dirigible. in addition 10
being non-infIammable. is easier TO.
handle in the air. This was discov-
cred in the recent flights over Wash
Ington of the CT. a navy dIrigible
built for hydrogen, but filled with
helium.
This first practical test OF helium
as balloon gas on large scale also
demonstrated the superiority of the
United States over every other ma
ton in ughter-than-air craft re-
sources. The United States is the
only nation that can produce sut-
hcient amounts of helium gas 20 tax,
care OF all its army and navy needs
and have a considerable amount left
over for commercial purposes, ac-
cording to Or. r. II. Moore, chief
chemist Of the bureau of mines. who
has directed the work Of develop
ing helium gas recovery from the
natural gas wells of the country
Lieut.. Com Wood. who piloted the
CT. declared that the heuum-illed
ship is steadier and moves with
greater momentum than any hydro
gen-dlled airship with which he has
had experience. Paradoxical though
a may seem. the helium gas, twice as
heavy as hydrogen. with 90 per cent
OF its lifting powers. acts. In an air
ship. just as a heavy motor car on q
road at high speed. Wind currents
do not defect il easily from its path
and after il gets under way IL trav-
els more smoothly.
Engine VIII Drive IL Down.
In hydrogen-dled ships it has
been necessary. in descending. 10 let
part Of the gas escape. after "a long
trip. to make up for the loss in
weight Of the fuel which has escaped
after being burned in the engine.
with the hehUm ship. its weight iz
sufficient so that by nosing the ship
downward. the propeller viii pull it
TO the ground
Diricibles. iu fiyng. pick mp sta-
iic electricity from the atmosphere
With hydrogen ships there was all
ways danger. boo landing since when
the ship touched the ground an cleo
trio spark OF considerable power re-
suited. IL this spark touched the
envelope. fire and am explosion was
extremely likely to result Ielium.
being absolutely uou-iuflammable.
does away with this danger.
While IL is not know how many
heHum bearing natural gas deposits
there are On Mexico the wells de-
veIoped ii the United States give OF
sufficient amounts 90 take care of all
military and naval needs and offer
9ossi biIities of a considerable COM
snercial development Dr. Moore as
.serts that present known resources
are sufficient 90 take care of the urg-
ert needs OF the Caited States for
So years.
Ballast From Gasoline.
-Iu a properly designed ship" "a,
said. "the loss cs heuum is one per
cent per flynE DAY. I'm such q skip
the vapors from the gasoline diesel
enLines. which VIII be used eventual
iv. Will be condensed. and thus saved
Tor ballast TO is an interesting fact
that the water procured by con-
densation is almost % heavy as gas
nline before it is burned n the en-
CINE"
Dr. Moore said that TIE heiium
used in the CT was shipped from
Texas plants in nearly 1000 cylin-
ders. each containing zoo feet OF the
gas. compressed.
The tremendous value OF helium
for use in diricibles was made APP
parent during the war British sci
entfs-s made eudeavors 90 ind a suf-
hcient supply 10 enable them 90 use ii
in their ships. The supply however
was limited 20 very small amounts
obtained from mineral wells which
gave Off gases containing helium. 41d
from minerals. These sources were
woefulIy insufficient and since that
time great progress has been made.
In the laboratories in the depart
nent OF the interior building AZ
Washington practically all the re-
eearch work has been done. The bu-
reau now has three plants two az
IT, Worth. Tex. and one az Petroila
Tex. At the time the armistice was
signed $4,000 cubic feet Of helium
vas on the docks ready FOR shipment
10 Europe.
Discovered In 1894.
SIR William Ramsay is acknowi-
elged the discovered or heIum I'm
1Ss4. His discovery was accidental
gnd was based upon certain findings
81 DR. ". T. Hiilebrand. of the
United States geological survey. iu
1855. connected with q study OF gases
from certain minerals containing
rranium. It's presence on the sun