AN AUSTRALIAN AIRSHIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 422, 11 August 1908, Page 4

AN AUSTRALIAN AIRSHIP.

For about a year Sergeant Matthews, of the Fifth Australian Regiment, has been at work on a military airship. The Minister for Defence gave permission to use the Departmental workshops at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, and interested himself in the invention. Sergeant Matthews now claims that he has perfected the machine, and he intends to make a trial flight with a large model, which is now being constructed, at the Melbourne Saucer Track. This is to take place this week. A most successful trial was carried out by Sergt. Matthews with a sft 6in model. The airship resembles an inverted boat in appearance. In the upper portion of it are two gasbags, each 40ft long by 12ft, by 12ft in diameter. Below it are suspended a carriage and machinery. The carriage is 17ft by sft. The airship will be capable ot carrying a load of 6xl lb. This includes the weight of the ship and machinery. The following statement has been made by Sergt. Matthews in regard to the matter: “The gasbags are for buoyancy purposes only, in case anything should go wrong with the machinery. The main feature of the airship is the fact that it can be ‘manipulated without loss of gas. She rises from the ground either straight or at an angle of 45deg., by machinery only, and she can be lowered in the same way, without releasing any gas from the gas bags. The ship will be fitted with two motors, one of which operates the lifting, lowering,and front steering propellers, the other the driving and stern steering propellers. If, however, the front propellers are not needed, then they can be switched round to the rear, and become driving propellers on the turbine principle. A number of military authorities and prominent engineers have examined both the drawings and the small model, and have all expressed themselves as thoroughly satisfied with the invention. It has been protected throughout the world, and arrangements are now on the point of conclusion for a series of public exhibitions next month. A powerful syndicate of influential men has taken this in hand.”