The Flight of the Silver Ship: Around the World Aboard a Giant Dirgible

gle building on the Goodlow property, now had commodious brick buildings for classrooms, laboratories and dormitories. The school was run on an original scheme, which had proved most successf

f one of America's greatest philanthropists, Mr. John Harrison Hammond,

oncrete spread, the largest uninterrupted floor area yet built. Over this rose the dock structure, a cavernous semi-paraboloid building. From the passing airplane, it looked like a peanut or a silkworm cocoon. It was lighted with tier after tier

ere swung the great shapes slowly evolving from ghostly skeletons to the finished marve

in line, and carrying many new features; as yet unnamed, her career undeci

. retired, Commandant of the school and chief of the dock forces. Colonel Porter was a lifelong friend of Mr. Hammond, and his influence had persu

the two friends sat in

d you so soon," s

ships. I like it. I'm not young, but my money can do the hard work

start. This ship you are financing-you would be surprised at the callers she has had; people from all over th

een made recently?"

Here are the original specifications.

ent, but they all agree that she contains ten million, two hundred thousand cubic feet and is twelve stories hig

lium sixty pounds to the thousand. That works out to eight hundred

t sounds l

andy to

t to make more than seventy-five miles

, Harry. Not with

the new weave of linen

w style seam-lacings hold perfectly. What a

mond. "Hammond High-flyer, Harkaway, and some others, but daughter Du

" asked Colonel Porter with a

a choice. She says the

ow how fine that ship is going to be. She w

"I am planning to show that ship to the world, Port. She has got to be perfect. What do you t

Porter w

ght. Her maiden flight, eh?

is there? When will

Porter r

he must make some trial flights. You can take off by

to pick out a few of the students, all grades, for st

id Colonel Porte

ome along, Port?

Porter

imply swamped with work. I

"Those gas bags," he continued, following the train of his thought

ed by the trade, by putting it between layers of the split and cleansed intestines of the ox, and pounding it. For the gas bags, they split and clean the intestines

mmond. "By the way, Port, whom shall

good a man as flies. During the war he was shot down and badly wounded, and wears a

staff and a good crew." Mr. Hammond rose and stretche

dola, establishing the monstrous engines in the five "eggs" that were waiting for them, and varnishing the propellers with the hardest, smoothest spar varnish, to reduce friction. The seam-lacings had been tightened

r the manner of the Great American Tourist, but the immensity of the dock and the sight

ght ahead along a short passage to the center of the gondola, where they turned to the right, along another passage into the control room. This spacious room

igator's room. Directly back of this was the galley, a small but perfect kitchen, where every inch of space was utilized by the latest electrical cooking

away from the galley, and they went direct

ndows that gave ample space for observation. There were six extension tables, chairs, a couple of divans, and a desk. The ch

s; six on each side, with double-decked bunks. These cabins w

ifully equipped, one for men and one for women passengers. Everything in the passeng

iner but just as comfortable as those down below. Mr. Hammond, notwithstanding his size, was well muscled and agile. He followed Colonel Porter along the cat

a big place," said Mr.

doesn't convey much. But pause to remember that if it was placed in front of the national Capitol at Washington, it would hide the entire building except a little bit of the spire. Or you could lay the

la, where workmen were now busy putting on electric li