Dismantling the dirigible-ship Monarch & the submarine Porpoise, our crew constructs from the combined parts the Flying Mermaid which is both airship & submarine. They leave their home in Maine & head for a region of the South Polar sea where they previously found an opening into the Hollow Earth & fly right in. Deep below the earth they discover a lost race of giants & experience a tremendous lot of adventures involving a murderous plant, weird animals, & a subterranean temple of treasure.Using parts taken from the dirigible-ship Monarch and the submarine Dolphin our crew constructs the Flying Mermaid, an airship-submarine! They take their new vehicle to the South Polar sea and discover an entrance in the Hollow Earth, where they find a lost race of giants, murderous plants, weird animals, and a temple full of treasure...
part on the water, and when the change from one to the other would have to be made quickly, this was necessary. It would have taken too long to raise the ship in the air had a cloth bag been used to contain the gas.
The lower hull or main part of the craft was one hundred and fifty feet long, and forty feet through at the largest part, in the centre.
It was divided into four sections. The forward one contained the sleeping quarters of Professor Henderson and his crew. There was a small stateroom for each one. Above was a conning or observation tower, reached by a small flight of steps. From this tower the ship could be steered, stopped and started, as could also be done from the engine room, which was in the after part of the hull.
As in the Porpoise and Monarch, electricity formed the motive power and was also used for many other purposes on board. Engines operated by gas produced the current which heated, lighted and moved the ship, as well as played a part in producing the wonderful gas.
The sh
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A fun book to read. For both young and old alike! I really didn't care if the science was a little far fetched. I found the story delightful and the chapter cliffhangers enticing.
Primarily for young readers this book kept this old man's attention all the way through. A good relaxing book.
