Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-09
Navy Airship to Cover More
Than Nine Thousand Miles
in Longest Cruise Ever
Undertaken
BY JUNIUS Il. WOOD
Especial Correspondent of The
Atlanta journal and the Chi !.
cagO Daily NeWSl

caSO DAILY News
Especial Leased Wire to The Journal--Copy-
right, 1920
(Junius b. Wood, noted war
correspondent and for the last
three years chief of the Far
East staff of The Atlanta Jour-
nal and the Chicago Daily News,
Is the only newspaperman
aboard the dirigibIe Shenandoah,
which sailed today from Lake
hurst on her trans-cOntinental
trip.
The Navy department inform
ed the newspapers and press as
sOciatiOns that only one reporter
could be taken along to keep the
country Informed of the prog
ress of the trip by means of
radio bulletins from the ship.
n, and Mr.. NLv6ds fiowa6sr tempo
rary duty i'm Washington, was
the reporter selected. This ex-
elusive dispatch of the object of
the trip was written by Mr..
Wood just before the Shenan-
LAKEHURST, N. j., Oct. T.
What may be a new era in trans
continental transportation is inau-
gurated with the start of the dirigi-
BILE Shenandoah today on it's 5000
mile aerial voyage slIirting three
sides of the United States. 1t will
he the first crossing of the United
States by an airship. the first ap-
pearance OF one farther west of the
Mississippi than st. Louis, and the
longest voyage ever attempted by
an airship away from its base.
During the war a German Zeppe-
lin prototype of the Shenandoah
reached Africa and returned over
a 4,900-mile course. The Shenandoah
will have covered near to 5000 miles
before its return to Lakehurst as
it's course is mapped out.
What the giant navy dirigible
built strictly for military purposes,
accomplishes can be duplicated by
those with accommodations for pas
sengers and cargo.
The ships of the air will have
followed the moccasined trapper, the
prairie schooner and the railroad
though every moment the ship
should be in communication with
land.
:. Her radio sets will receive and
sendt messages to the hundreds OF
olhees scattered over the United
States giving the news of the trip
and her long distance telephone will
recount the story of the voyage each
night to be picked up and sent into
millions of homes from broadcast.
ing stations.
Most of the voyage can be made
at an altitude between 1000 anG
5000 feet.
Crossing the Allegheny mountains
and again going over the Rockies
before reaching San Diego will bring
it into niger attitudes. The Rock
les will be the severest test of the
voyage unless unexpected storms
are encountered. The peaks shoulc
be crossed at a height of 5000 feet
and on account of the variation il
the buoyancy of the ship in day ans
night the schedule has been so II
ranged that tie crossing will be
made in the cool hours of the early
morning.
Similar considerations have fixet
the start from each of the masts ir
Fort Worth San Diego and Lake
view, Washington, at each of which
the ship will be moored a few hours
TO replenish its supply of fuel, water
and food, for the morning hours aft
err the sun has risen and warmed The
2.150.000 cubic feet of helium gas.
Lifting Power Varies
Under the warm of the sun til,
gas expands and the lifting power is
increased.
The dirigible airship is a combina
ton of balloon and aeroplane l
is lifted " both gas and motors anC
while the motors propel it forward
on a course which is held by both
horizontal and vertical rudders. al
vantage is taken of the air current:
which are the balloons only direct
lag force.
IS- use OF non -comhustible heliun
gas of which the United States st
far enjoys a monopoly, is variation
from the hHdrogen-inflated airship
of other rations. 1t is by this heliun
gas that Rear Admiral w. A. Mof
felt. director of the navy bureau o
aeronSuties. hopes to eliminate tn,
dangers OF explosions and fires.
Two routes have been mapped >,
Lieutenant Commander Zachar,
Iansdowne. commander of the Shen
andoah' for the eastern leg of ths
voyage to Fort Worth. The one II
the return trip is 1,41S miles crossing
DAYTON and almost straight 10 Lntl.