AIRSHIP SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1921, Page 5

AIRSHIP SERVICE.

LONDON TO AUSTRALIA.

DETAILS OF THE SCHEME. DEVELOPMENT BY STAGES. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received August 19, 10.40 p.m. London, August 18. The offical report to the Imperial Conference dealing with communications contained the recommendations in the subcommittee's report- on air services to be submitted to the Parliaments of the Dominions and Britain for consideration. An indication of the committee’s proposals was cabled, but the full text was obtained tonight, and it gives interesting features. In the committee’s view the best hope for successful development lies in private enterprise conducting a service for profit, like the mercantile marine, on business lines. The development of a complete scheme between England, India, Africa, Australia and New Zealand is a matter of considerable time, and in consequence of this it is considered desirable to deal with the establishment of an airship service in stages of one year periods. Assuming the inauguration of the experiments in September, it should be possible in March, 1922. to start a monthly senice to Egypt and by the close of twelve months it should be possible to undertake demonstration flights from Egypt in the direction of India and South Africa without landing. The cost of this period would be £540,000. The two year period includes the erection of complete bases in Egypt, .and the cost for the period would be £1,339,000. Further development of one or two year periods are regarded as only stepping stones, but such development should convert experimental flights towards South Africa into a permanent regulation service. This should make possible an alternative route via -South Africa and Australia.

The committee estimated that ten to twelve airships, each of 4,000,000 cubic feet capacity, would suffice to maintain a fortnightly service from England to Egypt, India, South Africa and Australia. The first of such airships would probably cost £300,000. Before the route to Australia could be consolidated it would be necessary to provide equipment and permanent bases in South Africa and Australia. The estimated development ovfer a period of three years would involve a capital expenditure of £4,545,000, maintenance £901,000, contingencies £1,500,000, and to this must be added the cost of upkeep and operation of airships, which would increase from £160,000 per annum at the end of the two years period to £1,095,000 per annum. The cost of the necessary mooring masts and stations in Egypt, South Africa and Australia and back, via Ceylon, is estimated at £275.000, to enable the authorities to conduct demonstration al flights. Two

such flights would cost £33,000. The proposed type of airship would carry a maximum load of 50 passengers and thirteen tons of freight.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.