Philadelphia, July 12.
A monster dirigible, the ZR-1, is being built in the aircraft factory of the Philadephia Navy Yard. It is to be fully as big as the ill-fated leviathan of the air, the ZR-2, which collapsed and. fell in flames in England last summer, resulting in the death of more than a score of its crew.
A principal difference between the Philadelphia-built dirigible and that which collapsed over Hull is the strengthening of every second dur aluminium ring instead of every third ring as in the ZR-2.
The envelope will be 700 feet long and 85 fect in maximum diameter. It will be cigar-shaped. The cloth will be of staple back-spun cotton one inch in thickness. A specially devised varnish will make it sun and water-proof. Nineteen balloonets which will furnish the lifting power are being built in Akron, O. ese will have a total gas capacity|of 2,700,000 cubic feet. It is not considered likely that helium (non-inflammable gas) can be used because of the immense quantity that would be necessary.
Originally the intention was to equip the ZR-1 with seven Liberty engines capable of developing a total of 2,100 horsepower, but navy experts are experimenting with a new type of motor, the specifications of which are not being made public.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.