The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-04
German Airship Accident Re-
yeaIs COnstructiOnal Truths.
Supremacy in Air Craft Tests
an Open Book.
FRENCH NOW ARE SATISFIED
After Paying Customs Duty
Crew RecrOssed Line.
Fear of Strained Relations Be-
tween Nations Is Dropped.

Berlin, April 4.-The adventure of
| the German military airship at Lune-
vile means the disclosure of the closely
guarded CONSTITUTIONAL secrets on
which German supremacy in the mat
ter of rigid airship rests.
! Ignorance of these secrets was re-
sponsibIe, it is stated in military cir
! cles here, for the failure of the dirigible
| belonging to the British admiralty A
| German special correspondent at Lune-
| vile telegraphs that a hostile crowd
tried to damage the balloon with sticks
| and knives. The mob was repulsed by
a military Gordon. He declares the at
titude of the French authorities was
most correct
The landing of the airship on the pa
| rade ground in the midst of a brigade
of French riflemen was satisfactorily
explained to a French board of inquiry
today. The airship and her crew were
afterward released on payment of ST.
900 as customs duty, and the incident
was declared closed.
The crew of the dirigible had been
kept virtually prisoners throughout the
night. The investigation conducted by
the French military authorities con-
cluded with the following findings:
THE balloon belonged to the Zeppelin
company the German officers on board
were designated to test the workings
ceptation by the German government;
the airship landed at Luneville be-
cause those in charge had lost their
way and the officers on board per-
ceived they were near a French garri-
son town."
Captain Glund, the ranking German
officer, gave his word of honor that
neither he nor his panionS had
taken any observations of military val
ue Thereupon the officers were dis
too 0frr 1iGCsa r
Avricourt accompanied them to the
German frontier.
Luneville, April 4.-The German
air cruiser Zeppelin w was inflated
and departed for Germany at o'clock
this afternoon.
Friedrichshafen, April A car
load of tanks containing hydrogen for
the airship stranded at Luneville were
dispatched from here today. Captain
Glund, who was in charge of the dir
igible, hopes to complete today the
formalities permitting him to return
by the air route. The Geographic re-
port of Captain G1und merely expresses
regret that he crossed the French
frontier during a fog and does not
mention any defect in the motor or
steering gear. The Company conse-
quently believes that the landing at
Luneville was due solely to a shortage
of gasoline.
The director of the Zeppelin factory
has gone to Luneville to supervise the
return journey.
Luneville, April 4-The crew of the
German military air cruiser Zeppelin
", which landed on the parade ground
here in the midst of a brigade OF
French riflemen yesterday were vir-
tually prisoners though technically not
in custoday. The eleven officers and
mechanics on board were requested |
to remain in Lunevil1e until the incl |
dent has been fully investigated.
The aviators asked if they might be |
allowed to sleep in the cabin of the |
airship which is of about the dimen- |
sions of a Pullman car. The French |
commandant consented to this, and |
the aviators passed the night on board |
surrounded by 80 French sentinels, |
posted ostensibly to prevent the mere |
ly courteous from approaching. General |
Auguste E. Hirschauer. chief of the |
aviation corps of the French army, ar |
rived from Paris today to take charge |
of the investigation. Opinion in mill
tary circles is divided as to whether |
the German aviators really lost their
way or instead encountered engine
trouble during an audacious attempt at
espionage.
Germans in Ludicrous Position.
Paris, April Awhile the first news
of the landing of a Zeppelin on French
soil caused a great sensation, later ac-
counts gave the incident a somewhat |
diminished Importance and public opin-
ion was inclined to view the plight Of
the Germans as rather ludicrous.
The explanation that the German Of
fcers lost themselves and the airship
became unmanageable is generally ac-
cepted.
There is even a tendency on the
part of some newspapers to poke fun
at the unwieldy German Zeppelins,
whose many mishaps are recalled.
The dirigible which reached Lune-
Vile, says one newspaper, evidently is
a dirigible in name only.
Double Blow to German Army Circles.
Berlin, April 4.-The Straying of
Zeppelin Nv into France, while on a
voyage from Friedrichshaven to Cos,
Baden, comes as a double blow to
German army circles, for it shows that
still are subject to the ele-
mentS TO such a degree as to make
them uncertain circumstances indie
pendable and it permits the French
officers to inspect the latest type of
Zeppelin and learn the details
of construction and equipment, which
nave been kept religiously secret.
There is a great grim irony in the
fact that the accident follows the APP
peal of the Nord Deutsche Allgeme cine
Zeitung for secrecy concerning Ger
man airships.
There is no apprehension of any
trouble over the incident. Even if
france desired to refuse to surrender
the airship, it is pointed out that the
dlrigible has not been taken over by
the German government and as pri-
u "a