The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-01
RUSH REPAIR WORK
ON ZEPPELIN CRAFT
Accident No Reflection on
Efficiency of AirShip,
Owner Declares.

BERLIN, June 1.-Expert mechanics
arrived at Goeppingen today and are
hard a. work on the repairs 10 Count
Zeppelin's airship, which suddenly ter
minated its mountaineering cruise OF
nearly 900 miles by crashing into tree.
badly tearing the forward part Of the
aluminium envelope and otherwise in
juring the big craft.
It is not expected that the repairs
will be completed before Thursday,
when the Zeppelin II will be taken
back to Friedrichshafen for a complete
overhauling The accident was due to
the fact that the helmsman was worn
out by his long vigil, according to
Zeppelin.
THE helmsman's bIunder caused the
collision Zeppelin said today.
He had been on duty almost inces-
sanity during the long voyage and was
worn out and hardly master OF him
self when the collision occurred. I saw
the airsh!p's danger and ordered the
helmsman TO pat TO starbOard, but he
put the helm to port instead, and before
the error could be corrected, the crash
occurred
1T was simply a human error, and
one for which the airship itself was In
no wise responsible. The efficiency of
my airship has not been affected by the
accident in the least
Attracts Wide Attention.
The achievement Of Count Zeppelin
has aroused the war office as nothing
else has done In years, and it is certain
that the building of dirigible airships
for war purposes win be pushed with
all the possible speed from now on
The great distance Travelled by the
Zeppelin II has convinced German
aeronauts that the question o. distance
has practically been eliminated If an
airship can travel 500 miles. one can. be
made to travel twice as far. even three
times this distance. in the opinion OF
German experts. While the press is
rather chary in its comments OF the
war possibilities OF the dirigible. express
gions heard on the streets. in the clubs,
and. in fact. everywhere. indicate clear
Iy that Germany considers that before
many months practically the Wnole Of
Europe GOULD be made accessible from
some point OF Germany TO an attack
against which there is yet no known
IT was announced that it was a per-
occurred barely twenty-five miles from
Echterdingen, where the nrsJ great
Zeppelin ship was destroyed ABOUT d
year ago.
IN was announced B,at It was i. ..er-
sistent head wind that compelled the
count 20 turn hOmewa1d at BitteTfeld on
Sunday instead of flying on 70 Berlin.
where the Kaiser the crown prince, a
great number of army officers, and a
vast crowd Of patriotic Berlinese were
waiting 10 welcome him.
Praise From Experts.
All the OF experts unite in their
praise of the excellent performance of
the giant dIrigible. They declare that
the nishap at Goeppingen in no way
diminished the triumph of the voyage
Captain Ersloeh, whose study OF aerial
navigation admittedly gives him emf
nent rank IN knowledge OF the subject
said today:
.'Afrships, as the result OF the count 5
unprecedented trip, now have radius
of action extending from Berlin
throughout Europe, while an Atlantic
passage is possible, IN my OPTION, IN
the near future.
Captain Kepler said: This, voyage
has proven that we are on the eve Of
an era of amazing aerial achievements
Captain Hildebrandt declared II was
a marvellous feat and il fOreshadoWs the
complete conquest of the air by Ger
many