DESERT ‘SHIP TO TRANSPORT GOODS AND PASSENGERS ACROSS SAHARA

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6802, 4 January 1929, Page 3

DESERT ‘SHIP TO TRANSPORT GOODS AND PASSENGERS ACROSS SAHARA

Dr Christopher Bischoff, a German, is building a giant motor desert 'liner which is intended to transport passengers and goods across tlio Sahara, just as a modern liner docs on the seven seas. Tho vessel is to be 130 ft. long, standing 42ft, high, with a breadth of 2Gft, 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 o9ft. across. Though not of the caterpillar type, such as thoso employed on small ears 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 tho passengers will experience no greater inconvenience than if they were in an ordinary motor car on an average road. Inside the desert ship arc four decks. The first comprises the control cabin—the ship’s “bridge’’—the wireless cabin, cabins for the captain and the mates, aad four cabins do luxe, as well as an office, luggage rooms, wash rooms and a sheltered promenade aft. Tho second and third decks are occupied by the reading room, smoking room, dining room, kitchen ,cabins, and more luggage rooms. The engine room, tho helmsmen’s cabin, and a repair room accompany the stores for merchandise —the ship’s hold —on the fourth or lowest deck. Here are also kept the water reservoirs and the fuel tanks. A novel and useful feature of tho ship will be a “cooling room,’’ in whicK a low temperature W'ill always be maintained by artificial means for the convenience of passengers overcome by tho 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 be carried in addition which will be sufficient for a journey of from 10,000 to 12,000 miles without replenishing. The vessel is to be driven by two Diesel ship engines of 450 horse power each, one of which is to be kept in reserve. Electric power and light are supplied by two dynamos, and tho steering is effected by moans of a hydraulic apparatus.