confidently expected would enable a speed of 60 miles per
hour to be attained. 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. It is as if three sausage-shaped
balloons were disposed pyramidally--two lying side by side with one
super-imposed, with the bags connected at the points where the circular
sections come into contact. Thus the external appearance of the envelope
is decidedly unusual, comprising three symmetrical ridges. At the points
where the three bags come into contact cloth bands are stretched across
the arcs, thereby forming a cord. The suspension system is attached to
the upper corners of the inverted triangle thus formed, and converges
in straight lines through the gas space. The bracing terminates in
collecting rings from which a short vertical cable extends downwards
through a special accordion sleeve to pass through the lower wall of the
envelope. These sleeves are of special design, the idea being to permit
the gas to escape under pressure arising from expansion and at the
same time to provide ample play for the cable which is necessary in a
flexible airship.

This cable emerges from the envelope only at the point or points where
the car or cars is or are placed. In the British airship of this type
there is only one car, but the larger French vessels are equipped
with two cars placed tandem-wise. The vertical