DISCOVERY 



229 



German airship at the end of the war, and the British 

 R36, the biggest proved English airship : 



Safety Precautions 



Every possible precaution is being taken for the 

 safety and reliabilitv of the service. The most ex- 

 perienced pilots of the Zeppelin firm, each ha\dng at 

 least a thousand flights to his credit, will be engaged, 

 and these men will accompany the Spanish personnel 



Air Ports 



The service is scheduled to take place between 

 Sexalle in Spain and Buenos Ayres in the Argentine. 

 At both these places huge stations will be erected, 

 whilst intermediate landing-grounds will be provided 

 in the Canary Islands and at Cordoba in the Argentine. 



At Seville three big airship sheds will be erected, 

 one 300 X 90 X 50 metres, the second 300 X 50 X 50 

 metres for the airship works, and a third 150 x 50 x 50 

 metres for the school airships. All these sheds will be 

 of a fixed type owing to the regularity of the wind 

 directions in that part of the world. In Buenos Ayres, 

 owing to the variability of the winds, either a revolving 

 shed 280 x 50 X 50 metres will be needed in addition 

 to a fixed hangar, or a circular shed with sixteen doors 



Fig. 3.— .\ CORNER OF THE S.iLOON. 



until they are absolutely proficient. Every ship will 

 carry six pilots and a commander. Engine breakdown 

 is guarded against by having only five engines running 

 at one time, the others being held in reserve. 



A smaller type of ship wiU be built for school pur- 

 poses, and a possible service between Spain and the 

 Canary Islands. These airships will have the following 

 dimensions : 



Capacity . 

 Length 

 Diameter . 

 Total lift . 

 Useful load 

 Engines 



Maximum speed 

 Cruising speed 

 Range 

 Accommodation 



30,000 cub. metres (1.000,000 cub. ft.) 



144 metres (472 ft.) 



2 1 -I metres (69 ft.) 



31,500 kg. (31 tons) 



13,000 kg. (i2-8 tons) 



Three, 400 h.p. 



125 k.p.h. (78 m.p.h.) 



no k.p.h. (68 m.p.h.) 



3.000 miles 



16 passengers 



will be built. In the Canary Islands and at Cordoba 

 mooring masts only will be erected. 



The whole work of construction should take about 

 two j-ears, so that the service wiU probably be in- 

 augurated in 1925. Services wiU then be made twice 

 weeldy in each direction, the journey to the Ai-gentine 

 taking 3 days 16 hours, and the journey to Spaiir 

 4 days 6 hours, the longer time being due to the pre- 

 vailing head winds. 



A fare of 6,000 pesetas (£240 at normal rate of ex- 

 change) per passenger wiU be charged, whilst letters 

 wiU be carried at a rate of 2.25 pesetas (is. 10^.) per 

 package. 



The French Government and the British aviation 

 service authorities are showing great interest in the 

 scheme, and both French and British firms have sub- 

 mitted offers foi the manufacture of hydrogen, con- 



