ÆRONAUTICS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 907, 20 October 1910, Page 3

ÆRONAUTICS.

LONG-DISTANCE FLIGHT. Wymnaleu, an aviator, aeroplaned from Paris to Brussels and hack in just under 28 hours. THE CLEMENT-BAYARD. The distance covered by the Clement-Bayard is approximately 200 miles, and the journey was perlormed in 6 hours 11 minutes, or at a speed of over 33 miles an hour. A start was made from Compiegue at 7.15 iu the morning, iu perfect weather. Boulougne was reached at 10.15. The balloon crossed the Channel in 45 minutes. French torpedoers echelonned trans-channel, guided the balloon to Folkestone, but each torpedoer was outdistanced in turn. Tonbridge was passed at 12.25, outpacing the fastest motor cars, aud St. Paul’s Cathedral at 1 o’clock. M. Clement, the inventor, was on the balloon during the trip, together with Mr William Du Cros, representing the Parliamentary Aerial Committee. CROSSING THE ATLANTIC. ALC WELL ON BOARD. New York, October 17. The “ America,” Wellman’s airship, which on Sunday started on its flight from Atlantic City, U.S.A., to England, is still invisible owing to the fog. She is, however, headed towards Europe. Another wireless message says : “All well on board.”

The airship “ America,” in which, under the auspices of the Daily Telegraph and the New York Times, Mr Wellmau is attempting to cross the Atlantic, was, according to a delaj’ed cable message, ready at the end of September for its journey. The message proceeded : “ Fifty men, including engineers, mechanics, aud watchmen, are now engaged preparing the airship for her aerial flight of 3000 miles. The craft is 220 feet long, and occupies a building 3000 feet long by 75 feet high. “ At this time of the year the trade winds are steady and continuous from the American shores to Europe, and follow almost the course of the Atlantic liners. It is believed that they blow at an average rate of about 20 miles an hour, which would give the ship a speed of 40 miles. If this can be maintained, the voyage from Atlantic City to the European coast would require about four days.

“ Mr Wellman emphasises the fact, familiar to all aeronauts, that there is infinitely less peril in navigating a big airship over water than over land, for which reason he will make his trial trips just as few as possible. When the air envelope is quite lull it will not be held to the earth by many tons of sand in bags as it is to-day, but by anchors. “A ribbon of heavy material, which might be termed a pleat, extends all around the cigar-shaped balloon. The car is made of drawn steel, and is about 150 feet long. It will be attached to this pleat with heavy hickory sticks woven into it and attached to the car by drawn steel wire. Underneath the car is a long tank, pointed at each end like a torpedo, about 150 leet long and nearly two feel in diameter. It is made entirely of welded steel, and will be filled with gasoline foi the engines “ A portion of the gas envelope was used in Mr Wellman’s experiments at Spitzbergen, and in his attempt to fly to the North Pole, but since then it has been lengthened, and a carrying weight of 30001 b added. “ As the great airship gradually approaches completion the enclosure in which the work is carried on becomes the source of never-failing interest. “ Mr McCurdy, the New York aviator, has lately been demonstrating the ease with which aerial messages can be transmitted from an aeroplane in flight, and Mr Irwin, the wireless operator of the “ America ” airship, does not anticipate difficulty in sending dispatches to any receiving apparatus within a zone ranging from 50 to 90 miles. Mr Irwin is one of the most cheerful and enterprising operators in the world. He saw active service in South Africa, and it was he who, while stationed at Siasconsett, Massachusetts, received the famous ‘C.y.D.’ from the liner Republic which resulted in the despatch of assistance from the shore.” AIRSHIP ABANDONED. CREW SAFE. London, October 18. Wellman, who started on a trans-Atlantic flight from Atlantic City, U.S.A., on Sunday, in the airship America, and of whom nothing had been heard of for thirty-

six hours, was wrecked 4SO miles from land. The steamer Trent rescued the crew. Nkw York, October 18. Wellman and his crew abandoned the “ America ” eastward of Cape Hafteras, which is on the American roast, near Chesapeake Ray, in the Stale of North Carolina. Be was half-way across to the Bermudas, which lie about a thousand miles from the mainland.