THE BRITISH AIRSHIPS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1930, Page 2

THE BRITISH AIRSHIPS

(Otago Daily Times.) The successful flight of the .British airship IUOO across the Atlantic represents an accomplishment not the less interesting because it had been deferred. While blip Graf Zeppelin was in active commission and making, several voyages that were spectacular! in view of the distances covered, the British airships RilOO and RlOl, though already an unconscionable time under construction, were still lingering in their hangars with no more than a few experimental flights to the credit of the former. The advent of the Empire service which they were to initiate is considerably overdue on the basis of earlier expectation, and is still very much among the things of the future. However, the “go slow” policy in respect of the completion and testing of the giant British, airships—the largest of their kind yet built—has doubtless been prudential. In the case of very costly experiments—and the building of great-dirigibles is still largely experimental and dependent for guidance oil Ho great accumulation of experience—the necessity for every; pi’ecaution against the risk of failure is very manifest. It is to .be, hoped that the.: cake and. deliberation exercised f in the construction of R-100 and RIOI .will he reflected in u satisfactory degree); in the performances of which these legiathans of the air may; when fully tested, be. found capable.

-When Dr Eckener was in. England in April he evinced intense interest in the new methods of airship construction adopted in Great Britain, and openly expressed his admiration of them. At the same time the British airship authorities took the opportunity of discussing with the German expert such questions as the exchange of technical and research data, standardisation in design, mooring plans; and airship routes, this last in view;'of the desirability of the avoidance-of competition, if possible. Whatever the. new British airships

may achieve, it dannot be said that any recent ‘predictions have been made calculated‘ to raise popular expectations on. .the subject to a high pitch.' Rather lias''.there been g distinctly cautiousj official attitude on the matter. fi lt will be t recalled 1 that -in November last a definitely disappointing impression was created by the publication of some critical comment upon their capacity to do what was required of them offered by Commander Sir Dennistoun Burney in his book, “The World, the Air, and the Futtire.” The conclusion was pointed to that the airships were virtual failures from the point Of view Of their suitability for long iidn-stdp voyages Carrying considerable loads; On the score of their inadequacy in point of speed and their inability to carry pay-loads Si*- Dennistoun Burney has expressed the opinion that the two new British airships and the Graf Zeppelin must be looked upon as merely preliminary steps in the evolution of a practical commercial 1‘ vessel. He has also put forward;.;the theory that-, ■as the size of airships must 'be increased, if they are to do what is required of them, to a point which may render them incapable of being handled by man-power, a revolutionary development in construction, that would make the airship more of a sea-craft than a land-craft, might prove to be the solution of the problem. In a recent review article we find Sir Dennistoun Burney writing: “It may be said without fear of contradiction that the airship has proved itself to be a sound vehicle of flight: also that by reason of its great range and carrying ' capacity, which are combined with a', relatively high speed and a high degree of comfort for passengers, it can claim to stall'd without a rival, among forms of transport, as a long distance craft. On the other hand, it cannot yet be regarded as an efficient commercial vehicle, owing to the handling difficulty and the fact that it cannot make a landing except at a specially prepared base. The outlook, however, is promising. We have already, I think, found a practical' solution to the first problem, and it looks as though we shall soon (be able to solve the second by a new theory of design.”

That RIO:) would make a satisfactory demonstration of her powers on her first trans-Atlantic voyage there was no reason to doubt, especially in view of the thorough character of the trials to which the craft was subjected in England, and the thought devoted to improvements, with the object of securing increased efficiency, since the vessel was first sent aloft. It is a matter for satisfaction to see Great Britain’s enterprise in the direction of the development of long-distance aerial communications demonstrated in her possession of such crafts,as 11100 and 111 OH What may bo m % complished by them in due course as pioneers in opening u.p the aerial communications of the Empire must still lie largely a subject of speculation. Another Imperial Conference will be discussing the question before all the dominions have established such mooring facilities for airships as were .considered by the conference of. 1926. As a commercial asset the airship has yet to arrive. But the process of experimentation, costly though it be, is obviously in,dispensable to progress towards the end which is in view. It may lead to surprising results sooner or later, though to envisage the a inship as a great freight carrier under any circumstances is difficult. Meanwhile the great shippipg companies do not appear to bo

at all apprehensive of the airship as a trans-Atlantic competitor. An era of yet more colossal and luxurious ocean-liners is hard upon us.