AERIAL NAVIGATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 458, 17 March 1909, Page 7

AERIAL NAVIGATION.

DIRIGIBLE BALLOONS. GERMANY CONSTRUCTING HARBOURB. A BRITISH NAVAL CRAFT. (by TEiXGiurn--rn?,S3 association—corraioHT.) Berlin, March 15. A harbour for airships is being erected at Mctz. Others aro projected; they will bo mado at Cologne and Friedrichshafon. London, Mnrch 15. A British naval airship, fitted with a 40 horse-power motor, is in course of construction at Portsmouth. MILITARY AND NAVAL AIRSHIPS. The nbovo cablegram applies to tho liphter-than-air style of cratt, tho dirigible balloon, which is a tiling of much greater bulk than the heavier-than-air aeroplane, and must be kept in special sheds or parks or harbours. The Zeppelin airships have made their flights from Lnlco Constant, beiiiß floated out of n huge shed preliminary to soaring. In August, 1908, the French Government established an aerostatic pnrk at Beauval, near Mieux. On the French side of tho frontier, the fortress of Verdun will bo an airship station. On the German sido Metz, and probably Strasburg, will probably bo the headquarters of aerial squadrons. The advent o£ naval airships will open up n new branch of aeronautics, as hitherto aerial vessels intended for war purposes have been connected with the military establishment! Here, as in the military section, it would appear to be Germany who is lending tho way, It is reported (wrote an aeronautical correspondent of, "The Times" last December) that tho German Admiralty is about to place orders for four dirigible balloons of tho Zeppelin, typo, nnil that they will be used for harbour work at Wilholmshaven and Kiel. At each of these naval stations special docks will bo constructed which will givo tho airships safe harbourage, the Zeppelin type of vessel with its floating cars boing well adapted for use on the water. Primarily the airships would be used a; observation and signal stations, but, no doubt, tho German naval authorities wish to tcet fullj their capabilities in many other directions The British naval airship which is buildinp at Portsmouth, with a 40 h.p. motor, will not bo nearly so heavily powered as Zeppelin No. i (220 h.p.). and the German Grose No. ! (150 h.p.). Tho French Republiquo is driven bj 80 h.p.