The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-09-21
CONTRACT LET FOR
GIANT DIRIGIBLE
WAR DEPARTMENT DECIDES
THAT WE CAN'T GET ALONG
WITHOUT SUCH AIRSHlPS
WILL USE HELIUM GAS ONLY
New Vessel viii Be Of semiRiaId
Type and viii Be Equipped With
Suspension Landing Devices for
Avoidance
BY JAMES ?. HoRNApAY

BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY
WashingtOn.-After mature consid-
Grafton the War department has de-
cidcd thut ,he United States cannot
get along safely without giant dirl-
| gtblc airships equal to those built by
any other nation. N some quarters
regret IS expressed that the confer.
ence on the limitation of ornaments
did not place some limitation on diri-
gibes AS things stand there is bound
10 be an unrestricted race between
nations in this sort of construction.
Contracts for the drst gian dirgible
of American make and American de-
sign have been closet The great air
ship will be somewhat larger than the
Inflated Roma and, if successful as a
flyer, will be tried out as an airplane
carrier.
The chief Of the army air service
says that a series of experiments with
suspension landing devices for air
planes had been arranged for the
Roma before she vas destroyed, and
the same experiments it is now in
tended shall be carried out with the
new ship. These devices, it is under
stood, are intended 10 provide a base
for landing and departure at any
height IN the air The American-made
ship will be built under the direction
of the building company's engineers
and those Of the army working to-
gether. The vessel will be Of the semi
rigid type, as was the Roma, will be
300 feet in length and have gas
bag capacity of 100000 cubic feet.
No kind of gas will be used in the
new aircraft except helium, as a nee
essary protection against FIRE, which
destroyed within the year both the
giant ZR-2 and the Roma. Construc
ton Of the ship has not yet begun and
when it does 1t is estimated that one
year and six months will be required
before it is completed.
Cruising Radius Of 1000 Miles.
Engineers claim that the new craft
win have cruising radius of 1000
miles, which would enable 1t easily to
cross the Atlantic ocean. They plan
that on low speed its engines shall be
capable of maintaining a speed Of 4413
miles an hour and on high speed 20
miles an hour.
All details as to the landing devices
or hcavlcr-than-dir machines on the
big unsupported ship are at present
being kept a secret. though the gen
cral scheme of Selling the smaller ma
chimes by some apparatus suspended
below the great dirigible Is indicated
by the War Department engineers. On
the new army dirigible airplanes can
be carried and dropped with the air
ship in full flight. Likewise an air
plane can fly underneath tho dirgib,e
and be picked up with a big hook and
hosting apparatus and brought up on
board while the ship is flying 60 miles
an hour II will have two power cars
ana navigator's car all attached to
the metal keel of the ship. 1t will be
capable of making the 3000-mile trip
from New York to San Francisco or
from Liverpool to New York at a
speed Of so miles an hour, completing
the Journey in 60 hours.
DeIano Service Is Started.
The first two Red Cross nurses
TO engage in missionary form
Of service provided for In the will
Of the late Jane A. Delano, who
died In France while director of
the nursing service of the American
Red Cross, have been detailed for duty
in Alaska and in the islands Off the
Maine coast. Miss Bertha Il. Sleeves
formerly superintendent Of the Ottawa
(tunD hospital, and long in nursing
and settlement work has been select
ed for the Alaskan field Miss Stella
Fuller a graduate of the Milwaukee
training school who served with the
A. r. c. in France during the war,
takes up the work in Maine.
The conditions Of the Request re-
qurc that the nurses selected be SO
situated that demands of dependents
viii not interfere with their work. In
addition To- being enrolled Red Cross
NURSES, candidates for the distinction
must have had two years experience
in public health nursing, be qualified
Ia trach, and be not less than thirty
years Old Miss Delanos purpose in
rud0wng This special service MS q me-
mortal to her father ana mother was
tu c'pntp nursing facilities In isolated
districts where no funds are available
from governmental or other agencies
or from individuals. The Delano
purses win be under the supervision
of the American Red Cross.
a memorial in recognition Of the
achievements Of Miss Delano in the
form Of monument is to be erected
by popular subscription on the grounds
Of the Red Cross national headqunr-
ters 10 Washington at a cost Of $4,000
| II will stand as n shrine commemorate
Ing not only Miss Delano, but all Amer
| lean nurses who responded to the call
of their country In the World war.
To Improve Health OF Indians.
In order TO test the feasibility OF
public health nursing and general wei.
fare work on the indian reservations.
the Red Cross IS inaugnrating q sur.
yey In the Navajo, Pima and Popago
and other reservations In Arizona, New
Mexico ANA South Dakota This wora