Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-16

a
merce and people from the Old
World to the New binding into
closer relationship than any yet known Eu-
rope, the Americas and the Far East. From
Germany by way of Spain to South America
and the United States. And, from the United
States, back across the Atlantic, to Germany
again. From Japan and the Orient by way
of Manila and Honolulu to Los Angeles, and
then to Japan again.
The zeppelins that will carry this foreign
trade will be larger than the Graf, the famous
world girdling craft of Dr. Hugo Eckener, the
motivating power behind the coming inter
national fleet. Two Of these ships viii shortly
be completed at Akron Ohio, while third,
largest Of all, is scheduled for completion with
IN the coming year at Friedrichschafen, Ger
many, following some recent changes in de-
sign to permit the use Of helium lifting gas
and crude oil motors-safety precautions
adopted after the tragic fate Of the British
R-l0I.
To speed international commerce is the pri-
mary object of the development of trans
of Atlantic crossings by air and water will
illustrate this. The Europa last year, ON her
maiden voyage, passed Ambrose hghtship from
Cherbourg in the record-breaking time Of
days II hours and minutes-113 hours plus
The Graf on its second trip to the United
States from its Friedrichschfen home, crossed
the Atlantic to Lakehurst, N j., in 90 hours
and fraction. She covered the 5000 miles
at a speed slightly in excess Of so miles per
hour. Her return trip however, was even
more remarkable She literally blew in" to
FriedrichSchafen in slightly more than SIS
hours time. Again, her round-the-world
flight the Graf covered the $500 miles be-
tween Berlin and Toxic in 101 hours. and her
log from Toxic to Los Angeles approximately
1900 Iniles-was 70 hours
The new zeppelins will have greater speed
and greater carrying capacity than the Graf.
Where the Graf has gas capacity OF S,7Oo,-
600 cubic feet, the new ships will have ca
pacity ranging from 6.52o,S00 cubic feet to
1000, 900 cubic feet. They will carry 10 tons
of freight and mail and 80 to 100 passengers.
Speed viii be relatively greater, inasmuch as
the new ships win be powered by eight engines,
whereas the Graf has but five. The two ships
now building at Akron, Ohio, are of the
100000 cubic feet capacity. The larger sized
ships are scheduled for building at Friedrich
schafen following some recent changes in de-
sign to permit the use Of helium lifting gas
and crude oil motors-Safety precautions
adopted after the tragic fate of the British
R-101.
Ten tons-the freight tonnage of the Yep
pelins-is not a great tonnage when compared
with ship tonnage. Many trips viii have to
be made across the Atlantic and Pacific before
one ship can deliver at its point Of destination
the equivalent in freight and passengers Of
liner
The freight to be carried by these leviathans
Of the sky must be, therefore. of that class
known as "high-Value- SMALL freight.
Gold, silver, diamonds, precious stones, ivory,
teas, silks, chemicals, novelty ware, expensive
wearing apparel costly patterns and first-claSs
mail will make up the bulk OF the commerce
handled by these ocean liners. From over the
entire continents of Europe, Asia and Africa
airship lines will feed into Seville, Spain, the
outlined European terminus of the Zeppelins,
these precious goods for transfer to the Amer
icas. From the Gold Coast diamond fields
and ivory centers of Africa viii they come;
from perfumed Arabia and the spiced islands;
from the Mediterranean bound Slavic states
and the high Tibetan cities, far inland China,
Russia and Siberia
TURNING to the Pacific for a moment one
sees, possibly, greater commercial success
for a dirigible line than over the Atlantic.
The Orient is farther than Europe from
America, strong incentive for shortening the
distance between the two. Enhance this with
the further fact that the United States is
Japan's best customer and that 80 per cent
of the value Of imported goods from there last
year-$45o, 600, 600 worth-was silk, and that
Japan buys more from US than from any other
people, and you virtually clinch the argument
silk ranks prominently as high value-small-
bulk" freight item. And In the background