GIANT AIRSHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17276, 27 September 1919, Page 2 (Supplement)

GIANT AIRSHIPS.

"LINERS" OF THE FUTURE.

PREDICTIONS OF EXPERTS.

Giant airships, which trill bring every important city in the world within 10 days' journey of London, are foreshadowed by the firm of Vickers, Limited. Sir Trevor Dawson, the managing director, nays that he expects to see airships twice or three times the size of R34, while Brigadier-General Groves, R.A.F., forecaste airships of 8,000,000 cubic feet capacity, four times the size of R34, capable of travelling 15,000 miles and with Strong under carriages.

Vickers are convinced that it would be a practicable proposition to build a rigid airship to carry 50 tons of passengers and freight for a non-stop voyage of 10,000 miles at 80 miles an hour.

It is probable that three classes of airships may be designed—

Ships of moderate size and high speed, for carrying express mails and passengers. Liners for passenger traffio. of a large size and high speed ; and large airships of comparatively slow speed and large carrying capacity, for general transport.

Sir Trevor indicates that the firm's engineers are studying the possibilities of the use of steam engines in these great airships. "We certainly look for success within a reasonable time," he added. "We know more about the development of steam engines than about internal combustion engi. ;s. The result to be attained is to have an engine of sufficient power and not exceeding a certain limit of weight; with developments made recently in steam turbines this should not be a difficulty." When the great ocean routes are timetabled it is calculated that times from London would be:— From London to New York, 2 to 2£ days; San Francisco, 4£ days; Cairo, 1£ days; Colombo, 4g days; Perth (Australia), 7 days; Nairobi, 3£ days; Capetown, &£ days; and Rio cle Janeiro, 4 days. Ths cost of operation for a regular service would be at ,1 passenger rate of 4d per mile and a mail rate of 3d per oz. With largei airships, carrying greater loads, lower rates might apply. By the use of a mooring-mast, or tower, to which the airship is moored by the nose, the dirigible would be able to ride out in any weather clear of the ground. The airship could easily be moored to, or released from, the tower in any wind up to 60 miles per hour without difficulty. Passengers could get' into or out of the ship by means of a lift in the tower, and so there would be no need to* house the ship, except for periodic overhaul and refit.

Airships would have saloons rivalling those of the great steamships for comfort and luxury. As' lightness is, of course, essential, it is probable that practically everything would be made of aluminium alloy, as strong as steel and one-third the weight.