PICTURE OF FUTURE

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160794, 30 October 1920, Page 3

PICTURE OF FUTURE

COMMERCIAL AIRSHIPS. ENGLAND TO IiS I DIA. LONDON, October 14. A fascinating picture of the commercial airship of the future was drawn at the Air Conference this afternoon by Commander Sir Trevor Dawson. Ha foreshadowed a weekly or bi-weekly passenger service from Europe to South Africa, and India to Australia, by airships flying 60 miles an hour, reducing the. time of the journey from London to Capetown, or London to India to five days. The airships would be rigid, 800 feet long, with a gas capacity of at least 41/00,000 cubic feet, carrying a hundred passengers. It is probable that the cost of a regular airship service between England and India, carrying four tons of cargo, and 100 passengers each way weekly, will be about 2s 9d a ton a mile, giving {asseuger rates at about 50 per cent, higher than the present first-class steamer fares, and mail rates of 6d an ounce. At to-day’s proceedings of the Air Conference, under Hie chairmanship of Admiral Beatty, a motion was adopted pressing ou the Government the vital importance of Egypt to future military aviation. The mover, Sir Joynson Hicks, emphasised the fact that Egypt was the very centre of the service of the aviation of the future. He maintained that the Government should Lake its importance into consideration before finally giving up the protectorate of the country. One of the audience protested that as South Africa rallied to the defence of the Empire, so Egypt would stand by Britain as the result of the granting of self-government.