SAFER AIRSHIPS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1931, Page 3

SAFER AIRSHIPS

NEED FOR HELIUM SUPPLY

LESS RISK OF FIRE

LONDON, October 23

fit consequence of the destruction by fire of RlOl, it is being urged in Some quarters that RIOO should not be allowed to come from her shed again filled witli hydrogen, if there is any possible means of procuring enough helium for her.

The idea of using helium as a filling for airships was first put forward in 1914 hv Sir Richard Tbrelfall to the Board of Inventions of the Admiralty, and this was followed by investigations with the principal source of helium in the British Empire—the natural gas deposits of Canada. But it is thought” that the available Canadian supjplies are totally inadequate; the '•wellis are “at Inglewood. ‘ near Toronto, and were located in 1925.

May Lift Embargo. fn America, however.- the situation is quite different, arid it is hoped that the United States will listen■ to, the Suggestion of Dtp Ekener, the German airship expert, and lift her embargo on the export of helium. America has vast resources of natural gas, particularly in Texas and Kansas, and, though the proportion of helium is seldom more than point five or point six per cent., its economical separation has been very well developed. America has a good deal more helium than she needs.

Oil Also a Factor. Though not inflammable, and so not explosive, helium gives considerable less lift than hydrogen, and would be much more expensive, volume by volume, especially with the added cost of transport. It must be remembered too, that- there is still no means of eliminating risk of fire from the fuel, whether heavy oil or petrol. Film records made of experimental aeroplane crashes show that fire almost invariably begins in the lubricating oil, and not, as bad been supposed in the petrol. Therefore, heavy oils, apart from the extreme fuel oils, are not always proof against fire.