Monster Balloon which Caused a Bother,

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 22, 1 June 1910, Page 8

Monster Balloon which Caused a Bother,

TRIAL TRIP FROM FRANCE TO LONDON POSTPONED BY FRENCH GOVERNMENT'S EMBARGO.

Immense excitement wsus caused yesterday, says our London corespondent, writing on April 16, when it became known that France had held up the dirigible airship built for the British Government, and to be taken over subject to her making the flight from Cainpeigne to London, and fulfilling other tests, acording to the “Daily Mail,” ■whose telegram is dated Thursdav, April 14. Preparations had been made for an attempted flight from Compiegne to London, and a large garage, costing £5,000, has been privately constructed at Wormwood Scrubs for its reception. The first announcement of the French Government’s decision was made by the "Temps” this evening (April 14), in the following passage: — “It is absolutely untrue, as has been announced, that the new dirigible balloon, Clement-Bayard, is destined for England. The Clement-Bayard belongs by contract to the French Government, who will take possession of it as soon as the trials are completed.”

M. Clement asked to be allowed to communicate with the persons who had commissioned him to build the airship, but he was not released from his pledge of secrecy, and though he lunched with a party of journalists to-day, they only learned wdiat had happened when the “Temps” eame out The following description of the dirigible airship, written last year, is of interest. Cables have since informed us that the French Government is firm in refusal to part with Clement Bayard IL, but. the inventer has another built, and this will be handed over. By navigating the air over land and sea from one capital to another, an airship will clearly demonstrate its utility, both for warfare and for peaceful enterprise. The feat will convince the public, and at the same time it will satisfy the experts. No better condition, therefore, could have been imposed in connection with the option of purchase of the Clement-Bayard 11, which is soon, let us hope, to be given a British name. The Parliamentary Aerial Committee were well advised in requiring this evidence of the airship’s capacity; and M. Clement, the designer and maker, is entitled to our admiration for his sportsmanlike and businesslike acceptance. On the completion of the airship, about the end of August, the voyage will be made. And when we bear in mind that t'he international voyage is not the only condition, but that other demonstrations are to be made in England, not one of us can fail to be impressed with the quite obvious fact' that the airship is at last a. thing seriously to be reckoned with. Only five years ago there were but a handful of ‘mad enthusiasts” who would have predicted so speedy a fulfilment of their dreams; and even up to the present year - one constantly heard the sweeping assertion that the dirigible balloon can never be of any real use. Those who were sceptics now believe. Helmholtz, who thirty-five years ago demonstrated with all the convincing power of scientific reasoning that no dirigible balloon would ever be capable of navigating the air in anything other than a still atmosphere, would to-day have to acknowledge his error. And in recent years has not Maxim completely “exploded” the dirigible balloon theory? In the remote contingency that the Clement-Bayard 11. should not quite succeed in all she sets out to do—and even enthusiasts admit the possibility of some mischance—she and her rivals in France and Germany are, without question, in these wonderful times we live in, swiftly creating a new era in the world’s history. Why this particular type of airship? is a question which has often been asked during the last few weeks. Why not a Zeppelin or a Lebaudy? The answer is perfectly simple. The Zeppelin, despite its fine achievements, has no more demonstrated the right to be considered the best t'ype of airship than has the Lebaudy, the Ville de Paris, or the Clement Bayard. The Clement-Bayard 11. is a fish or torpedo-shaped airship of the non-rigid type. By fish-shaped, or “ichthyoid,” as pedantic experts love to call it, is meant having pointed ends, but with the largest diameter far forward of the centre.

The reason for this shape is that it is what is known aa “stream-line” form. Driven forward through the air, it offers less resistance than either true spindleshape or sausage shape. And it is found that there is less resistance when the. blunted end is driven forward than when the sharp end is in front. Therefore, the blunt end of the airship is the bow, and the pointed end is the stern. The total gas-containing capacity of this airship is 227,500 cubic feet. It is therefore about three times the size of the British airship, twice the size of the Ville de Paris, and half the size of the: Zeppelin. To fill the Clement-Bayard 11. with hydrogen costs not less than £l9oj or, if the gas be supplied in a compressed state from tubes in which it is kept for reasons of portability, it would cost three times as much. One inflation) of gas, however, last's for a long time. It needs occasional replenishing to make: up for the slow percolation of the gas. through the fabric. It is very essential that a dirigible' balloon should be kept fully inflated. This is so obvious that it does not call fmg lengthy explanation here. Directly the wind is able to press a dint or hollow into an airship's gas-container it will exert very much greater power over it. It becomes hopeless to attempt to drive the flabby monster in the face of the wind or even along a cross-wind. It soon becomes as helpless as an ordinary motorless balloon.

Hydrogen is an extremely volatile gas, and will filter through almost anything. But in the rubber cloth employed in the: Clement-Bayard H. there has been found 1 a fabric second only to many folds of gold-beaters’ skin, and far less costly. The Clement-Bayard 11. is, like mosg modern non-rigid balloons, provided with’ an ingenious device for keeping the gascontainer taut in varying conditions of the atmosphere, and at different altitudes, without the continual addition of hydrogen gas. It is furnished with what is known as a “ballonnet.” The “"ballonnet” is a small air-filled balloon inside and resting on the bottom of the main envelope. As gas is lost, more air is' pumped into the ballonnet, distending it, and thereby filling up the space and keeping the outer envelope fully distended. Of course, this is only possible within certain limits. The air pumped in is as heavy as the surrounding air, and the necessary apparatus is so much additional weight to carry. But it is this ingenious ballonnet which has made non-rigid and semi-rigid dirigible balloons a possibility. The envelope of the Clement-Bayard II» is made of rubber and cotton cloth, yellow in colour. Unlike ordinary balloon fabric, this has not to be varnished. Yellow, curiously, is the best colour for! balloons. It transmits less of the heab of the sun than any other colour, and therefore reduces somewhat the expansion of the gas. The length of the balloon is 300 ft. The car is suspended by ropes distributed throughout the whole length. This ear, or deck, differs from all others in the manner in which it is con* tinned at the rear, curving nearly to the: pointed end of the gas-envelope. In place of the first' Clement-Bayard's stabilisers (which are bulbous protuberances on the: tail, whose purpose is to assist in keeping stability of flight), the new ship is provided with one vertical stabiliser in the form of a plane projecting downwards like a fixed rudder from the pointed rear of the gas-container. This mitigates any tendency of the airship to wobble from side to side. This method of suspending the car, and even the disposition of the weight of the ballonnet, all assist in keeping the airship steady. Details of the New Airship. Type, non-rigid; capacity, 227,500 cubic feet; ballonnet, about 35,000 cubic feet; shape of balloon, fish-shape; length, 300 ft; diameter (greatest), 50ft; lifting capacity, about 0J tons; motors, two’ each of 220h.p.; propellers (two-bladed)', two: length of propellers, 20ft; speed, 35-40 miles per hour; flying capacity With 25 passengers, 700 miles; working crew, four; usual working altitude, up to 6000 ft; weight of balloon, car, and. engine, etc., 3 J tons; cost, minimum, £20,000; cost of inflation and hydrogen gas, about £190; length of working deck, 50ft. Other Items. Cost of garage, £5000; distance frorft Paris to London as the crow flies, 220 miles; wind wanted for voyage, southerly; composition of envelope, rubber and cotton cloth; mechanical innovation, reversing gear; manoeuvring area, mime mum, 300 yards square.