Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08

adjustment or mall pay TO COntr
act, and which is based on mi
poundage basis, a substantial saw
will result"
It mas been the custom of the Post Office
Department to issue each month statis-
tics covering the contract airn1ail serv.
ice. These figures show the actual
number of pounds of mail carried each
month and the amount paid by the
Government for the transportation Of
the mails. Simple arithmetic shows the
cost per pound. What are these figures?
Though the Watres bill went into
effect April 81, 1880. it was not until
october Of that year that its results
began to be noticeable. most of the old
contracts continuing in effect through
the Summer and into the Fail Until
approximately November /, 1890, the
old airmsil rates we're in effect. No
vernber and December were months of
transition. on January l the new rates
under the Watres act became effec-
tive and for the first time the act was
In full effect.
Taking the IL months ending with
October, 1880 we find that the cost to
the Government for carrying pound
of mail f1uctuated from month to
month, ranging from minimum of
$1.62 to a maximum of S2.01. The
costs per pound, month by month, were
Is follows: November, 1929, $1.94; De-
cenber, $2.0i; January, 1880, $l.e5;
February, $i.e7; March, $196; April.
Si.s2; May, $3.50; June, S1.67; July,
Sits; August, 81 so; September, SLIT,
and October, $1.86.
AirmaiI Costs Increase.
The average cost per pound for the
10 months was $l.84. figure which
may be considered a fair average for
the cost to the Government Of flying
Airrnail during the year preceding the
Watres bill.
cn1itting November and December.
1880, which was the period when the
administration of the Watres act was
swinging into its stride, we may con-
slider the period beginning January /,
when the new rates became effective,
an an effort to ascertain the average
cost Of flying the mail under the law
which was advocated by the Post Office
Department as a means OF saving
money to the taxpayers.
Here are the figures: January, Sail;
February, S2.01; March, $500; April,
S2.1o; May. $2.2l; June, $2ll; July,
ures for the period since August have
not yet been made public.
The average cost per pound OF nying
che airmail for eight months under
the watres bill has been $216.
The average increase in cost Of car
ryine mail for the first eight months
of this year, under the WatreS bill, over
the average cost for q period Of a
year under the old law, therefore, flg-
nres out as 80 cents, the difference be-
tween $1S4 and Sale.
From January to August OF this year,
inclusive, the domestic contract air.
mail carriers new total Of 5,921, 23o
pounds Of airmail. At an average in
crease Of 80 cents per pound the In
creased cost TO the Government OF the
Watres bill is $1,894, 796.10.
On the basis of these figures, 1t
would appear that the Watres bill has
CHIEF goals.
Airship's Program Planned.
The u. 8. S. Akron, giant Navy air.
ship. is going to have q busy winter.
During the course of her first trial
flight since she was commissioned on
Navy day, Rear Admiral William A.
Moffett, chief of the Navy Bureau of
Aeronautics, in an interview granted
in the big ships control car, announced
that the Akron will be sent across the
United States late in January or early
in February for duty with the Pacific
AS the National Capital slid away on
the southern horizon and Maryland's
rolling countryside unfolded below,
Admiral Moffett discussed plans for the
Akron's immediate future. The big
ship. he said, will be stationed for three
months or more on the West Coast and
will be put through .grueling regime
OF action with the sea forces.
AS part of her sea duty, he said,
the Akron may undertake flight to
the hawaiian Islands, where an air.
ship n1ooring mast has been erected.
The cruising range Of the Akron Is so
great, however, Admiral Moffett said.
that she could make two round trips
between the United States and Hawaii
without landing.
While on the West Coast the Akron
will have to be kept In the open, tied
UP to a n1oorine mast when not Actu-
ally In flight Construction Of q giant
hangar and airship base has been be-
gun at Sunnyvale, Calf, but this will
not be completed for about 10 months
Admiral Mofett said.
The great structural strength OF the
Akron makes it safe to base the ship in
the open for q period OF several months,
the naval air chief said The Sunny
vale hangar is to be completed about
the same time as the zRS-5, successor
to the Akron, now in course Of fabri-
cation in the Goodyear Zeppelin dock
aG AKRON, ONO.
To Increase Size.
Efforts will be made, Admiral Moffett
said. to have the size Of the new ship
increased from 6.5o0.o0 cubic feet ca
pacity. the size of the Akron. the a.
600 900 or 100000 cubic feet. This
will require rewriting of the specifica-
lions and will give the United States an
airship beyond the scope of anything
contemplated in the world. Germany
he said, now is building an airship
which will slightly outclass the Akron
IN capacity, but which would not nearly
equal the size of the proposed ZRS-5.
The Akron, unlike the y. S. S. Los
Angeles and the German Graf Zeppe-
lin, could easily cross the Rocky Noun
tains without being forced to seek out
low and tortuous passes through the
ranges, Admiral Mofett sai5 predicting
that airships Of even greater size will
In the near future be used for COM
Portable overseas passenger service.
The initial flight Of the Akron after
her commissioning marked high point
in the career Of Admiral Moffett. Fol-
years he has fought against heavy ODDS
for an air ship program for the Navy
II is due almost entirely TO his efforts
that the Akron was built and that the
United States rapidly is assuming 9
place Of world leadership in the lighter
than-air field.
AS he was telling OF his hopes for tht
Akron, the great ship with 100 persons
aboard, was nearing Baltimore and q!
his interview was terminated. Fort Nc
Henry. relic of a type of warfare mad
obsolete by such achievements OF sci