21 NOVEMBER 1931, Page 3

The End of the Airship The survivor of our two

vast airships has been sold by the Air Ministry and is to be broken up. ' It 100,' launched two years ago, made a successful trip to Canada and back in June, 1930. But since her sister ship ' R 101 ' came to grief at Beauvais, with the loss of Many valuable lives, she has been regarded with evident suspicion. The late Government sought to compromise between her supporters and her critics by promising to spend no more than £100,000 a year on airship experi- inents. But the May Committee declared, as a measure of economy, for .serapping 100,' and this recom- mendation has now been carried out. The airship, which is 250 yards long, weighs 100 tons, and cost in all about £1,000,000, is an engineering marvel. But in times like these the nation cannot afford to spend money on such highly Speculative inventions.