New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-16
AERONAUTS SAVED
FROM DEATH IN SEA
TITO B4LLOONISTS PICKED
Up By STEAMER.
Fall 5rith German 4rship Near
Prinz WiLhelm-T5cO Cr~''
Still Missing.

perlin Oct. 15.-The German balloon Busey,
cne Of the contestants for the international
trophy. came down Tuesday morning at o'clock
n the North Sea. The two men. DR.. Niemeyer
end Hans y. Herdemann. were rescued by the
steamer Prinz Wilhelm. which passing.
The aeronauts were landed at Edinburgh this
morning. and Immediately started for home by
way Of London. The point where they were
,cked up is ten miles from Helgoland.
There had been great anxiety regarding the
fate Of the Busley. There are still two balloons
missing There are the Plauen and the Herge-
sell which started on Monday IN the endurance
test.
The two German aeronauts had thrilling X
per.ence and a narrow escape, but they are to-
day none the worse for their adventure. After
the start from Berlin the balloon drifted 10
Southern Russia, and was then driven to the
Northwest. The men saw they We're passing
over Cuxhaven. Finding they were being car
ried too far TO the North. they decided to
descend. and early Tuesday morning they
dropped the balloon into the sea. after sighting
the Prirz Wilhelm and signalling to her. The
steamer chased the balloon for some distance
until she got close up TO it Then she launched
small boat. The envelope. with the pilots on
top Of il and the car dragging, was driven
rapidly over the water by a strong wind.
The men in the boat pulled their hardest. and
finally managed TO get q line fast TO the car
which was being dragged amid clouds of spray
over the tops of the waves. They hung on until
the two aeronauts had been rescued. The trans
fer Of the baIloonists TO the small boat at
tended with the greatest difficulty. IS soon as
they were safe on board the connecting line was
cut ard the balloon. free of the weight of the
beat went careenlng away over the sea
The aeronauts. who had been in the water
half an hour were half naked and utterly ex-
hausted They were taken back TO the steamer
where they received every attention and had
food and re5toratives. It is estimated that they
travelled ass miles before they came down
Although no award has been made officially,
the English balloon Banshee, which came down
OF the coast Of Denmark. is regarded as the
winner Of the international cup contest. The
French balloon Condor is second and the Bel
gan Belg1ca third. AS it is not practicable to
hold long flights in the British Isles. the Banshee
may give over first place 10 balloon represent
ing some other country.
Two other balloons made longer flights than
the Banshee. but they were disqualified because
they descended in the water
The Helvetia, Swiss entrant, made a re-
rnarkable fight OF 7s7 miles landing in shallow
water. only few rods it is said. from the shore
or the coast of Norway. near Ersholmen-
The Busley also made a distance greater by
so0 kilometres than that of the Banshee. but
disqualified on account of the fact that it
descended in the water.
The news Of the rescue Of the two baloonists
was heartily welcomed The most serious ap-
prehensions are entertained for the safety of the
other eirships. It is three full days
Fince the Plauen and the Hergeseu have been
heard from Exhaustive meteorological obser-
vations indicate that they were driven out over
the North Sea
The Germa~ Admiralty is conducting most
exhaustive search Of this body of water. The
surveying ship Zieten, fourteen torpedo boats
and fee Of twenty fishing snacks
stantly engaged One division is steaning in
rsdating lines from Heligoland to the English
coast, q second is cruising along the west coast
Of SChieswig- -Holstein and third is patrolling
the North Friesian and Dutch coasts
London, Oct Is Three cruisers OF the home
feet which are now at Queensferry, Scotland
, have been ordered 10 search the North Sea for
the two missing balloons that sailed away from
Berlin last Monday in the endurance contest.