EMPIRE AIR ROUTES

Evening Star, Issue 19410, 19 November 1926, Page 4

EMPIRE AIR ROUTES

SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA EXTENSION TO NEW ZEALAND UNDER CONSIDERATION. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 17. Mr Bruce, who was a keen investigator at Cardington, says he has been assured that the airships will be aloft next year. He also says he is confident that a mast can be erected in Australia at a cost of £50,000, instead of £70,000; but there is plenty of time to consider its erection with his Cabinet colleagues in Australia. So far ail the plans for the Empire airship routes are envisaged along the southern line, terminating in Australia, but as a result of Mr Coates’s experience at the present conference, the question of extension of the route to New Zealand, entailing the provision of a mooring mast, is under consideration. Mr Coates is closely examining all the possibiiites of speeding up mail transit, both by air and by means of faster steamships.

VISIT TO CARDINGTON. . MOORING MAST DESCRIBED. LONDON, November 17. The dominion delegates to the Imperial Conference visited Cardington, England’s chief airship base, where, in addition to an inspection of the gigantic “hush-hush” RlOl, which is at present in the construction stage, arrangements were made for a trial flight of the nine-year-old veteran R 33. The visit was made amidst rain squalls and lowering clouds. An inspection was made of the steel mooring mast. This is of particular interest to Australia,- because it is the basis of tßb type that is necessary there in connection with the projected airship service, it is 200 ft high, and at the top is a movable steel receiving arm projecting vertically, but capable of swinging to an angle of 30deg from the vertical. A steel rope passes through this, and lies on the ground. Another steel rope dropped from the airship is coupled to it, and the line is then pulled in by means of powerful machinery. “Remarkable,” said Mr Bruce. “I had visions of an airship dashing for the mast and trying to couple up.” Later in the day R 33 was drawn out from the gigantic hangar with 300 men hanging on to the guy ropes. When at a height of 500 ft, however, the airship was totally obscured by the clouds, and it was impossible to launch the aeroplanes as was intended. _ Though the construction of RlOl is maintained a close secret, it is revealed that the ship will have a carrying capacity of 100 passengers and ten tons of mail matter. It will be fur- s nished with sleeping cabins, lounges/ a smoking room, a dining room capable of seating fifty persons, a promenade deck, a kitchen, and shower baths.