THE NAVIGABLE AIRSHIP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3166, 8 October 1892, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE NAVIGABLE AIRSHIP.

Tiikim; seems to have bei.'ii .some truth in the queer stories, which were ttkeu as so u.any canard*, when during (he lime of the lale Russian mameuvres accounts wore seen in the papers of war balloons crossini,' and the Frontier, even against unfavourable winds.

Th<> following authenticated report o f tlir , Sivi.~s department of fhf. inferior twfhidos any further doubts of the fa::t that the Prussian < lovornme.nt is in possession of (.he siMji'ets of fh(! invention of a navii,':ibl( j airship, but the serret was ifiiarded so carefully that but for tlir; above ollicial report of trials made, the invention would be put down as pure fiction. Word for word tho report says :

Iu tins month of July, of the past y<;ar, w<! received, through our Consul, a message from the Kleinstarfscho Mashiuenfiiljrick in Berlin to enquire if our department would be agreeable to grant the necessary space to practice the capabilities of an apparatus purporting to imitato the flight of birds. To substantiate their doniand the firm stated that they were offered a bonus of one million marks by tho Prussian War Department, to the order of which they had manufactured the apparatus, and that in case the latter should prove itself available for practicable uses at once, the reward would be forthcoming. To be thoroughly certain of its capabilities, trial trips would have to be undertaken to avoid against too much publicity being given to the new invention. it was an impossibility, however, tc make these trials in Germany the Fatherland being overrun by French spies in all directions, who in clear weather could not help to discern the experiments but too easily. In foggy weather it was an impossibility to work the apparatus on the level plains of Northern Germany as there are no guiding points projecting above the lower masses of clouds to direct the course of the vessel. The only country suitable in every way for preliminary trials was Switzerland. In tho later part of the Autumn when the high plain and the river-beds are filled with mists, the tops of the middle and high Alps are lit up by tho sun and a cloudless sky is above them. Unseen from the valleys belrw experiments could be made from one of tho smaller mountains to the top of another. After a considerable delay tho Swiss Government sanctioned the proposal, and the inventor of tho airship, M. von Prigaldski, brought a model with him which fo a select few he exhibited in Berne, on tho Bth of August, giving full satistion as to its powers. Experts who were in attendance say that the idea of tho reproduction of the functions necessary to the flight of the birds was ingeniously grasped and reproduced in a most •simple style, gravitation, pressure of the elastic wings or swoops on the air and tho influence of the wind on the oblique plains were so masterly composed, that the final triumph must bo reached in but a short space of time as a material, so far not in use in the construction of machinery in combination with aluminium wouldreduce the weight of tho electrical accumulators and other parts to about one-third of the present one. The only difficulty now was that of finding tho necessary spots to experiment from. Mountains on which hotels are open even late in the autumn had to be discarded. After enumerating sundry of the mountain tops, the report says : —

" Mapf find Santis were the two mountains chosen as they were each possessed of the necessary buildings, for which arrangements could be made for a low rental. On the 28th September the necessary scaffolding for starting and finishing, each about five metres high, were finished, the instruments carried to the top of the mountain, wires tightened, and the airship got ready on Mount Mapf. None of the single, parts weighs over 20k. (401b), and therefore the transport gave no very great difficulty. The whole of the apparatus, able to carry at most eight persons, weighs 380ks. Present at the experiments were Herr von Prigaldski, two engineers of the establishment at Kleinstorf, two officers of the Air-navigation Section of the Prussian Railway Regiment, as well as two officers of our own department. Besides these there were two engineers and five workmen stationed on Mount Mapf; while another engineer with two workmen was stationed on Santis."

The trials began on the 2nd October, a calm day, the valleys obscured in fog, while glorious sun shining, reigned on the mountain tops. The first passage resulted better than was expected. The Aeraeonaut had some difficulty in reaching the necessary altitude, once there, however, he travelled with the utmost rapidity. One hour and eighteen minutes were required for the journey. Later trials reduced the time to one hour fifteen minutes, almost the swiftness of a carrier pigeon. Twenty-eight trips were made between Mapf and Sandis. The flights had to be discontinued on the 15th of October as part of the driving swoops had to undergo necessary repairs, which could not be executed on the spot. The material of the damaged driving swoops is the only difficulty to be got over now, as they must not only be strong but extremely light; which fact makes it necessary to further improve the composition of the material in use.

The report ends with the remark that the Swiss Government have entered into au agreement, with the establishment at Kleinstorf, by which the right to use their nir ships will be an exclusive onu of the Confederacy, and for the purpose of making further trials two specimens of the apparatus have

been ordered. To guarantee to the whole of the people Ihe full benefit of thu invention, proper legislation is under preparation now, the right to work them shall be national pro-μ-riy, coutriry to the present working of the railways and the telephone. The MK'iiinpiy of the air by the (Joefederation is advocated, as airnavigatiim is bound to curtail the railway trallio, leaving it to the transport of persons for short distances and the conveyance of goods only. Translated from the " Abnndt'osl," 'ilh July, 1 W-2, by HOKORUTAXnA.