ddition to this a ship in design closely
resembling the S.S. was built in America, but suffered from the same
lack of experience which we did in the early days of airship
construction.

We must now see what had been happening in this country in those
fateful years before the bombshell of war exploded in our midst.

CHAPTER III

BRITISH AIRSHIPS BUILT BY PRIVATE FIRMS

It has been shown in the previous chapter that the development of the
airship had been practically neglected in England prior to the
twentieth century. Ballooning had been carried out both as a form of
sport and also by the showman as a Saturday afternoon's sensational
entertainment, with a parachute descent as the piece de resistance.
The experiments in adapting the balloon into the dirigible had,
however, been left to the pioneers on the Continent.

PARTRIDGE'S AIRSHIP

It appears that in the nineteenth century only one airship was
constructed in this country, which proved to be capable of ascending
into the air and being propelled by its own machinery. This airship
made its appearance in the year 1848, and was built to the designs of a
man named Partridge. Very little information is available concerning
this ship. The envelope was cylindrical in shape, tapering at each
end, and was composed of a light rigid framework covered with fabric.
The envelope itself was covered with a light wire net, from which the
car was suspended. The envelope contained a single ballonet for
regulating the pressure of the gas. Planes, which in design more
nearly resembled sails, were used for steering purposes. In the car,
at the after end, were fitted three propellers which were driven by
compressed air.

Several trips of short duration were carried out in this airship, but
steering was never successfully accomplished owing to difficulties
encountered with the planes, and, except in weather of the calmest
description, she may be said to have been practically uncontrollable.

HUGH BELL'S AIRSHIP

In the same year, 1848, Bell's airship was constructed. The envelope
of this ship was also cylindrical in shape, tapering at each end to a
point, the length of which was 56 feet and the diameter 21 feet 4
inches. A keel composed of metal tubes was attached to the underside
of the envelope from which the car was suspended. On either side of
the car screw propellers were fitted to be worked by hand. A rudder
was attached behind the car. It was arranged