A DESERT “SHIP”

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 4

A DESERT “SHIP”

Dr Christopher Bischotf, a German, is building a giant motor desert “ liner ” which is intended to transport passengers) and goods across the Sahara, just as a modern liner does on the seven seas. The vessel is to he 130 ft. long, standing 42ft high, with a breadth of 20ft, and the general arrangement of the machine closely resembles that of a passenger steamship, with the exception that it runs on wheels. These- wheels (says a contributor to the Newcastle ‘ Weekly Chronicle ’) are of a tremendous size. They measure 39ft across. Though not of the caterpillar type, such as those employed on small cars which have recently braved desert journeys, their construction includes an ingenious compensating mechanism which will enable them to stick closely to the loose ground which they will traverse. .In this way the vessel itself will always be kept at a comfortable level, and the passengers will experience no greater inconvenience than if they were in an ordinary motor car on an average road. Inside the desert ship are four decks. The first comprises he control cabin—the ship’s “ bridge the wireless cabin, cabins for the captain and the mates, and four cabins de luxe, as well as mi office, luggage rooms, washrooms, and a sheltered promenade aft. The second and third decks are occupied by the reading room, smoking room, dining room, kitchen, cabins, and more luggage rooms. The engine room, the helmsmen’s cabin, and a repair room accompany the stores for merchandise—the ship’s hold—ou the fourth ar lowest deck, Here are also kept the water reservoirs and the fuel tanks. A novel and useful feature of the ship will be a “ cooling _ room,” in which a low temperature will always be maintained by artificial means for the convenience" of passengers overcome by the heat of the burning desert sun. In all 150 persons, including passengers and crew, and 200 tons of merchandise will be the capacity of the new ship, while enough fuel can he carried in addition which will be sufficient for a journey of from 10.000 to 12,000 miles without replenishing. The vessel is to he driven by two Diesel ship engines of 450 horse power each, one of which is to be kept in reserve. Electrical power and light are supplied hy two dynamos, and the steering is effected by means of a hydraulic apparatus,