A FLIGHT ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 950, 18 October 1910, Page 5

A FLIGHT ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

AIRSHIP SETS OUT. MR. WELLMAN'S POLAR DIRIGIBLE LEAVES AMERICA. REPORTS BY " WIRELESS." '<: ; - r ; : "i By Association—Oopyiiclit. ' New York, October 10. ;' Messrs. ' Well wan' mid Vaniman's dirigible airship America left .- Atlantic City, New Jersey, for a trans-Atlantic flight yesterday morning. '. . Wireless report's state that the .balloon is making good /progress.; : warning the crew of the hurricane off Cuba have'been dispatched. A DARING PROJECT. INTERESTING SCIENTIFIC ADVEN-. ''■/.'v.';.. .'.,/; TUItE. Giving in detail the aiTangements for, the airship voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the London "Daily Telegraph says':—lt goes.without, saying that the effort of Messrs. AVellman and Vaniman will.be a most interesting, gineering, and scientific; adventure. Men • liare long talked of crossing the Atlantic by balloon or airship, but. this is the.first, actual attempt to make the voyage. , ' It is all the more interesting because a Marconi ' ivireless telegraph equipment is to be carried upon\the craft, and it is hoped; almost constant • communication may be maintained with the "Xcw York Times" and the "Daily Telegraph- by ' transmission' to steamships, and theneo to land stations, r , • The purpose of .tho voyage is a much higher one than the performance .of _a mere sensational feat in. aeronautics. It is' to -inake 'a demonstration.on large scale.' of the utility of. motor-balloons for naval and/military, purposes, and thus to contribute! to the progress of the arts and sciences. • : ' ' • . l As to tho prospects of successfully; completing the ; long voyage from America to Europe, neither Mr; -\\'ellman, tho director,.nor Mr.vVftniman, the expresses ' any great' degree ■of - confidence. The most,'they are willing s to say is that, I in" their■ - opini on> s ': they have ■ a reasonable qliahce of success, enough:to warrant; the,l •offorfc. ' '- '■■' '• ;/'' -•' ■' ' I ' The Airship. . ''During ■ the past winter and spring the airship America has been-rebuilt and enlarged,at, workshops in the suburbs of Paris.,,/It is second only to, tho ' Zeppelin in point- of:6ue among' the airships .ofthoworld.;: Its length .is 228 ft., its •greatest "diameter 52ft.~, its volume. 345,000 cubic Ifec't; lis total, lifting capacity is 24,0001b. tons, The steel ear is 1561*t. long,; and weighs iSOOIb. The balloon part (composed ofr three. thicknesses of ..cotton and silk and three layers of rubber) is 15001b: -'•The motors and other machinery, a crew of six men, • aeronautic and navigating instruments, lifeboat,- wireless ap-paratus,-tools, repair materials, food, and I water; and. small ■ 'items \' weight.; ,5f1001b.,, leaving about 10,0001b., or,five tons, . avail- \ abU for ''carrying'' gasoline..v :; ' 'The airship, is equipped, with, three; engines. " Ono of 70-80. horse-power gives. 1 the ship a speed' of .about' 20 statute miles .per?hour, '.and is. the■ motor.-'-which- will probably 'be- used most ;of .the time during, [the voyage. The '/.quantity..! of fuel carried gives the ship; /a' radius'- of action .greater. than;the-;distance. to. Europo, -and study of the ' !\vorage'- .direction of the winds during'the', past' tweiity-five:, years i indicates a strong .probability that' tWir, net effect: will be .■helpful. % The airship is ' alsoequi oped j/with. ;an oight-cylinder motor: if.-; 200 horse-power; Uvhich it is-planned to hold in l -reserve, for -occasions;, when "higher speed; is, required. . /ith ■ -both' ■ engines\inmotion,. - driving; ' each its pair of twin-screws; the speed of the ; ship- will be ; nearly thirty statute iiniles per hoiir.'-./A. -horsepower, drives-, tbq air-pumpV and performs other' service connected with the machinery, .' ' .---. Six to Ten Days, Asto the.time required for.the : proposed' 'voyage,'assuming, that'accidents,.incident: to trials are averted, and a fair start once made, -six to- ten days should -bo enough.. Ono of tho problems i? how. to keep, the-ship in tho ■ aij;;' that length, of time—a more . serious problem over - the '•JJprth■ Atlantic than it ,-\vas .in; the pro-; po9ed ; voyage, over; the. Arqtio Ocean to ,the: Pole,: fqr 'in .the latter /'ease there wa»' ho 'alternation of day , and . night,. and; no wido variation oftemperature."