* * R 101 ' The first flight of the
State airship, ' R. 101 ' on Monday was entirely successful. She was easily con- trolled ; there was no appreciable vibration ; and with only three of her engines in action she reached a speed of fifty-eight miles an hour. She has the largest cubic capacity of any airship in the world. Her length is less than that of the ' Graf Zeppelin,' but she has a considerably greater beam. Whatever may be her performances in future she clearly represents a very instructive stage in evolving the perfect airship. If Sir Dennis Burney is right in saying that ninety miles an hour is the minimum speed for safety, ' R 101 ' is not, however, fast enough for regular journeys to India. It will be interesting to see what she can do: in a winter gale. On Monday she was favoured with gentle weather.
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