Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-30
BY JUNIUS Il. WOOD

(Staff Correspondent OF The Journal and the
Chicago Daily News.)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27.-That
the air is an uncharted void was
thoroughly realized by the officers
who piloted the navy airship Shen-
andoah on its pioneer voyage across
the United States and return. To
those who had previous submarine
duty the experience was similar to
navigation under trackless waves.
Following a course, even by day,
over populated parts Of the country
dotted by towns and criss-crossed by
highways, railroads and streams was
difficult, while by night clustered
lights of villages, the distant glow
of others on the black horizon and
occasional flares OF automobiles or
locomotives passing far below told
little of the location.
AT times fogs by day covered the
sarth like a frozen sea- and clouds
yelled the moon at night until the
familiar earth 5000 feet below was
indistinguishable.
Air Lessons Learned
Records were made on the cruise
and lessons were learned.
maps, beacons or signboards to guide
the traveller are all for voyaging on
the surface. whether of water or of
land. Except for the route of the
transcontinental mail flyers, the
United States is largely uncharted
for aerial navigation. In the course
of its cruise twice around three sides
Of the United States, only one city
W. 10Th
on a roof in massive letters which
could be seen from the sky. Each
town was different by day and each
was a different silhouette against
the black ground at night but there
are no charts Of the air to identify
the landmarks,
The cruise of the Shenandoah
demonstrated that the Rocky noun
tains are not barrier to airships be-
tween the Atlantic and the Pacific.
1t also demonstrated that despite the
gales which eddy around their peaks,
and head winds which are liable to
be met across the plains and along
the coast, an airship, much AS it is
buffeted by the elements, can make
the journey faster than an express
train.
Voyaging by airship is in its in
fancy and as it improves, as have
other forms of transportation, larg-
er ships will be built. time will be
! reduced and signs will look upward
| for the visitor from the skies as
| others now do for the traveller on the
| surface.
New MOOring Masts Planned
If the enthusiasm of the Pacific
GOA for Chnnon1no1, &c aobaoI
! in other parts of the United States,
moorins masts will spring up like
| flagpoles. Every city will have a
mOorinS mast for air liners In San
| Francisco, a movement already has
been started. During the voyage
hundreds of requests came to Lieu
tenant Commander Zachary Lans-
down, captain of the Shenandoah, to
fly past or linger over different cities
and villages. One city seriously adj
vised that the failure of the Shenan
doah to make a visit might embar-
rass the administration at the com
ing election. AS many of the re-
quests We're acceded to as possible
| without delaying tho voyage.
If all had been granted, the Shenan
doah would be zig-zagging across the
United States for the next six
months.
Conclusive demonstration of the in
fluence of winds on the speed of the
ship and the handicaps enforced in
return for the safety factor from us
ing on-combustible helium gas is
given by the record of time between
different ports.
The detailed figures in hours and
minutes. showing the net time in
flights between the cities, the actual
time until making fast at the next
| mast and the time at the mast in
each city. after leaving Lakehurst,
y. J., October 10 at 10 a. m, are as
follows: