LARGEST AIRSHIP.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14209, 25 May 1910, Page 3

LARGEST AIRSHIP.

BRITISH NAVY'S HUGE VESSEL,

The new airship for the British Navy is rapidly Hearing completion at the works oi' -V ickers, Sons and _Maxim ac iiarrow-in-Furness. It will be the largest, one -of tlie fastest, and tlie 1 most powerlul airship 111 the world. Its I great gas-containing; body, built up rigidly with a new metal which is far stronger and only a trifle heavier than aluminium, will be 500i't. long and dUft. in diameter, as against the 446 ft in length of the monster Zeppelin typo of airship. The garage, which faces the sen, is GOOt't. long and 100 ft. broad. Gangs of men are now busy constructing great "cradle." I pon tins the airship will rest as it is pieced together. Practically every part of the airship is now ready, and only awaits tho assembling process. The plan has been to distribute the making of the various sections over a.ll departments of Messrs Vickers, Sons and Maxim's works. By this means it has been possible to preserve great secrecy concerning nil the important details of construction. \York is also about to commence upon a special lannclnvay from which tlie airship will take flight. The trials will be carried out over the sea. It is designed, in fact, for sea-scouting. The | airship's permanent quarters will bo on the north-east coast, and it will be called upon to cruise for days at a stretch along the coast-line and out at spa. with this wirk in view, reliability in stormy weather hass been one of" the aims of the airship's construction. The method of fitting together the sections of the airship's tremendous hull is pnrticu'arly interesting. .As one metal section follows another in position around the sides of the ship tlie whole of the lrull can be made to revolve upon its cradle for the convenience of the fitters. Its remarkable rsize will enable the airship to raise into tlse air a, weight of close noon twenty toiiS. Its two 200 liorse-nower petW eim-lnes, which have alre-vlv been subjected to tesfp for rpliabp'fv. will "ivo it " sueed through the air. It is Loped, .in

fact, that- it will attain forty-five miles an hour under favourable conditions. It was at first intended that the metal rihs and rigid sections of the hull should ho built of aluminium. But since the first plans were made the constructor'; have discovered a new metal alloy. It is said to be neatly seven times as strong as aluminium, and onlv very siiirhtly mure weighty. It now seems probable that the airship will be ready in June or Julv next.