Thus
France would be able to meet the Germans upon fairly level terms,
inasmuch as the speed of the latest Zeppelins does not exceed 60
miles per hour. So confident were the authorities that a second
order for an even larger vessel was placed before the first large
craft was completed.
This latter vessel is larger than any Zeppelin yet built, seeing
that it displaces 38 tons, and is fitted with motors developing
1,000 horse-power. It has recently been completed, and although
the results of the trials, as well as the dimensions of the craft
have not been published, it is well known that the speed has
exceeded 60 miles per hour, so that France now possesses the
speediest dirigible in the world.
The Torres invention has been described as wonderful,
scientifically perfect and extremely simple. The vessel belongs
to the non-rigid class, but the whole of the suspension system is
placed within the gas-bag, so that the air-resistance offered by
ropes is virtually eliminated in its entirety, for the simple
reason that practically no ropes are placed outside the envelope.
The general principle of design may be gathered from the
accompanying diagram.
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