TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC BY AIRSHIP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 318, 6 July 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC BY AIRSHIP.

THE AKRON. Mr. Melvin Vaniman's new dirigible baloon, in which the recent terrible disaster occurred, was only recently completed at Akron. Ohio, for a second attempt to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Mr. Frank A. Seiberling, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Akron, was bearing the entire expense of the, expedition, which, it was estimated, would be between £25,000 and £30.000. Mr. Vaniman recently gave some details of his proposed attempt. "Crossing the Atlantic in a dirigible," he said, "is not a question of winds or navigation any longer. As far as gas is concerned, the present perfection of rubber-coated fabrics for dirigibles will enable a balloon to stay in the air for thirty days. No special type of balloon is necessary, but it must be non-rigid. The dirigible will be equipped with two motors,'each of 105 horse, power. It will be 208 feet long, 4V/s feet in diameter, ami will have a capacity of 850,000 cubic feet, and a lifting power of 25,0001b. The gas bag alone weigtos 40001b. The crew will include, in addition to myself, a wireless operator, a navigator, two mechanics, a cook and a cat named "Trent," which was the mascot of our last trip. Mr. Vaniman who was about 45 years' of age, was a member of Mr. Wellman's unsuccessful Arctic airship expedition. In 1010 he was also a member of Mr. Wellman's party in the airship America, which made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the, Atlantic Ocean. The big dirigible, with a crew of live on board, left Atlantic City <>" October 15. 1010, and travelled in the air continuously for three days, when Wellman and his four companions and a kitten were picked up by the steamer Trent, off the North Carolina coast, about 357 miles east of Norfolk, Virginia. After cutting loose the boat-car, the gas envelope and its trailing "stabilisers" was abandoned. Although Wellman failed in his attempt, he established a new record for the dirigible, making 1008 miles, as compared with a former record of 850 miles, and remaining in the air 71 1 /; hours, as compared with 37 hours, the previous record of Count Zeppelin. The airship used was constructed in Paris under the direct supervision of Mr. Melvin Vaniman, who was responsible for most of the design and construction details. No ballast was carried, but attached to a cable about 330 ft. long was a •'stabiliser," consisting of 30 steel tanks filled with gasolene, and some 40 wooden blocks. These trailed along in the water. New Zealand was visited by the, late Mr. Melvin Vaniman about twelve years ago, when he arrived from America—working for a San Francisco photographic firm. With a specially constructed camera he took a series of wonderfully fine panoramic views of the four centres, of Rotorua, Lake Wakatipu, and other places, setting a new standard in panoramic photography. To get one section of Auckland he rigged up a huge mast at the, foot of Queen street, and took the- view he wanted from the top.