WHERE THE AIRSHIP BEATS THE PLANE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 161, 2 April 1919, Page 2

WHERE THE AIRSHIP BEATS THE PLANE

Convoying, searching for submarines far out to sea, preventing mine-laying by night flying, and many other activities have been the work of tho airships during the war. Now for peace. One of the disadvantages generally urged against the ships is the number of men requirod to handle them on tho ground. Small ehips can now, however, be landed in fino weather by a very fen - men, although it is true that they do require a largo handling party in rough, weather. This, however, cm lie altered in the near future by tho employment of sheds on tho floating-dock principle, which will swing to the wind and do away with tho danger of getting the ships in and out with the wind blowing across tho shed. The ships will bo towed in by small motor-tugs. Caught in a fog, the engine can be throttled down and the ship can cruise slowly, picking its way. An aeroplane, however, has more chance of hitting something, as its slowest speed is anything from (10 to 100 miles per hour. In the same way, in crossing large tracts of water, in thecase of engine trouble, the plane is forced to alight, and even a ilying-boat will bo smashed by the swell in mid-ocean. But an airship'can drift at any altitude until her engines are renaired, or if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction she can nut out her drogue, or sea anchor, and float Soft, above the surface of the sea.

Fuel can he taken up from any s-hip at'sea; the airship does not require (o lni.d on a specially decked-ovor ship. Fuel ami food can I>9 passed up by menus ol' ropes. Should her engines lie absolutely out of action she can be towed in by any shin to which she attaches liersnlf, (]ying like n kite balloon astern of it. For toilrins parties and seeing tlm country, tlio airship is the ideal menus of conveyance, ns it can meander peacefully over,the country-side at Ifl-lj knots with very little draught, and in many types I ha" engines are in n sepnrate car from (lie passengers, so that they have praotkallv no vibration, smell, or noise

Again, compare the advantages ol Ml aeroplane and an airship in' exploring. Crash the former in u nrimeval forest through I'liitino' ov any other trouble and your expedition is nt an end. Rut (ho airship can come to anchor above the trees and .slay there as long as necessary until the defect is remedied.—"'J'.," in the "Daily Mail."