AIRSHIP PROGRESS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16379, 12 March 1924, Page 5

AIRSHIP PROGRESS.

Gil MAT EH IT AIN FOUETH AMONG THE NATIONS. LONDON, .Tan. 24.— *'< Every •‘height, speed and duration •■record lor every type of aircraft is held outside the .British Empire. Wo are notoriously slack in research work; oven Germany has kept ahead of us there.” This emphatic and warning statement was made at a mooting of the lloyal Colonial Institute by Commander F. L. M. Boothby, lI.N. (retired), a Fellow of the lloyal Aeronautical Society, in a lecture on “Airships for the Empire,” with particular,reference to the airship service to India and Australia. It of erring \ta the projected opening of the . Australian route, Commander Boothby said that from the Imperial point, of view it is most desirable that Australia or New Zealand should establish an airship building industry, and maintain a licet of its own airships available in war for work in the Pacific. Canada, with the Empire’s only known supply of helium gas (the noninflammable gas for airships), would be able, by establishing an airship base in Alberta, to transfer her air poiver to the Pacific or Atlantic as required within 4S hours.

He gave the following examples of progress in guarding-' airships against, accident: To Avoid Danger from Lightning.— The... balloon or gasbag may be made of a material which is a sufficiently good conductor of electricity to allow a charge to pass without a spark occurring. Other Causes of Fire.—A complete layer of non-inflammable gas may be put round the gasbags. Exhaust gases from the motors supply ■ inert gas, which can be used if cooled and cleaned. Speaking of air developments. Commander Boothby said France, the United States and Italy lead, and this country is a bad fourth. . gw