ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 163, 19 October 1910, Page 5

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

BY AlßSilli'. THE TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. New York, October IV. Weiman's airship is still invisible in the fog, but she is headed towards Europe. A wireless message says that all is well on board. NO NEWS OF WELLMAN. Received IS, 11.10 p.m. New York, October 18. Nothing has bren heard of Wellman during the past 24 hours.

A DARING PROJECT. INTERESTING SCIENTIFIC ADVENTURE. Giving in detail the arrangements for the airship voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the London Daily Telegraph says: It goes without saying that the effort of Messrs Wellman ami Vaniman will be a most interesting aeronautic, engineering ami scientific adventure. Men have long talked of crossing the Atlantic by balloon or airship, but this is the first actual attempt to make the voyage. It is all the more interesting because a Marconi wireless telegraph equipment is to be carried upon the craft, and it is hoped almost constant communication may be maintained with the New \ork Times and Daily Telegraph by transmission to steamships, and thence to land stations. The purpose of the voyage is a much higlcr one than the performance of a mere sensational feat in aeronautics. It is to make a demonstration on a large scale of the utility of motor-balloons for naval and military purposes, an! thus to contribute to the progress of the arts and sciences. As to the prospects of successfully completing the long voyage from America to Europe, neither Mr. Wellman, the director, nor Mr. Vaniman. the engineer, expresses anv great degree of confidence. The most they are willing to sav is that, in their opinion, they have a reasonable chance of success, enough to warrant the effort. During the past winter and spring the airship America has V."n re-built and'enlarged at workshops in the suburbs of Paris. It is second nnlv to the Zeppelin in point of size among the airships of the world. Its length is 228 ft, its greatest diameter 52? t. its volume 345,000 cubic feet. Its total lifting capacity is 24.0001bs —12 tons. The steel car is 156 ft long, and weighs 4.5001b. The balloon part (composed oi three thicknesses of cotton and siik and three layers of rubber) is 45001b. The motors and other machinery, a crew of six men aeronautic and navigating, instruments, lifeboat, wireless apparatus, tools, repair material, food, and water and small items weigh 50001b, leaving about IfljOOOlba. or five tons, available for carving gasoline. The airship is equipped with three engines. One of 70-80 horse-power gives the ship a speed of about 20 statute'miles per hour, and is the motor which will probably be used most of the time during the voyage. The quantity of fuel carried gives the ship a radius of action greater than the distance to Europe, and study of the average direction of the win-is during the past twenty-five years indicates a strong probability that their net effect will be helpful. The airship is, also equipped with an eight-cylinder motor of '2OO horse-power, which it is planned to hold in reserve for occasions when higher speed is required. With both engines in motion, driving each its pair of twin screws, the speed of the ship will be nearly thirty statute miles per hour. A small motor, 10-horse-power, drives the air-pump, and performs other services connected with the machinery. As to tne time required for the proposed voyage, assuming that accidents incident to trials are averted, and a fair start once made, six to ten days should be enough. One of the problems is how to keep tho ship in the air that length of time—a more serious problem over the North Atlantic than it was in the proposed voyage over the Arctic Ocean to the Pole, for in the latter case there was no alternation of day and night, and no wide variation of temperature. PARIS TO BRUSSELS. Paris, October 17. Wynmahen aeroplaned ffom Paris to Brussels and back in just under 28 hours. INTERNATIONAL BALLOON RACE. Received 18, 11.10 p.m. * New York, October 5. An international balloon race has been started at St. Louis. Germany. Switzerland, America and France will be represented in the Gordon-Rennet Cup, the first prize in connection with which amounts to £4OO.