The New Airships Sir Dennis Burney's criticisms, in his latest
book, of the new airships 'R. 100' and 'R. 101 ' are very grave, but of course the money spent (though much more has been spent than he advised) has not been wholly wasted. The air- ships are a step in the evolution of the future type. The flights of the latest Zeppelin have revealed new facts, and it is plain now that ninety miles an hour is the minimum speed required for safety. Neither of the new British airships has that speed. Further, their carrying capacity is insufficient for commercial purposes. This is a blow to the immediate hopes for the airship service to India. Sir Dennis, however, sees the future clearly enough. He thinks that mooring masts are an entire mistake, and that airships must be designed so as to be capable of being clamped down to a raft and pushed in and out of a shed. Again, they must be provided with floats to enable them to settle on the sea and be anchored like an ordinary ship. * * * *
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