New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-18
A|RSH!P
EXPL0DES;; Is DIE
Continued from first page.

the bodies of the victims from the
blackened remains.
Bodies Fall 400 Yards Away.
The six inmates OF the centre gon-
dola had been blown through the sides
Of the car by the first explosion. and
their bodies fell four hundred yards
away from the wreck OF the balloon,
which was travelling at forty miles an
hour when the accident happened.
All the others except two were, II is
believed. killed by the explosion Of the
gasolene tank and the fire, and were
probably dead before the wreckage
reached the earth.
The Admiralty commission on board
consisted of number OF officers. in
Guiding Lieutenant Commander Ben
nisch and Senior Lieutenant Freyer. OF
the German naval flying corps. The
pilot was Captain Glund. n veteran
steersman In the employ OF Count Yep
pelin and the only civilian aboard.
Lieutenant frank was second In
command. Chief Engineer Haussmann
and three engineer secretaries from the
Admiralty were on board, as were
Naval Constructors Neumann ana
Pietzler and Naval Chief Engineer
Busch. the rest being warrant officers
OF the German navy.
Kaiser's Friend a Victim.
Lieutenant Commander Behnisch was
a personal friend OF the Emperor he
was formerly navigating officer OF the
imperial yacht Hohenzollern. and later
commander OF the cruiser Panther.
Lieutenant Freyer was formerly per-
sonal adJutant OF Prince Adalbert. one
Of the sons of the Emperor. He served
with the prince on board torpedo
boat after studying with him at the
naval academy
The alrship did not carry wireless
equipment, and this fact disposes OK
the suggested possibility that an cleo
trio spark from the wireless apparatus
WAS the cause of the fire and explosion.
Ballooning experts, after studying
the wreckage of the dirigible for some
hours. confessed themselves unable TO
establish anything definite as to the
cause OF the catastrophe. and the mem
beers of the naval flying corps were put
to work to dismount the framework.
Probable Cause of Explosion.
a. Ton 10 "a
the experts were inclined TO believe
that the catastrophe was most prob
ably due 10 the collection of a most
explosive mixture of gas and air I'm the
tunnel running inside the airship and
connecting the three gondolas. They
argue that this mixture was exploded
by the back flare from a carburetor or
by a spark from magnetic commune
eating the fire Immediately TO every
part OF the craft. This. II Is pointed ,
out, would account for the rapidity OF
the destruction OF the balloon, only two
or three seconds elapsing between the
time when the spectators noticed the
first fash and the period when the air
ship fell, a mere framework stripped OF
every vestige Of its outside covering
and with the ballonets burned up.
The airship carried at least two tons
OF gasolene, and this contributed to the
rapidly and completeness Of the de-
struction.
The loss of the balloon will apparent
ly fall on the German Admiralty which
practically accepted the airship on Sep
TENDER 90 Count Zeppelin being held
responsible only II the dirigible failed
to meet the requirements OF the Navy |
Department In the tests conducted by
its own officers.
To-day's fight was intended az a test |
Of the ascending properties Of the dirig-
ible, which therefore carried an I'M
usually large crew to take the place |
OF the machine gun, the bombs, the |
wireless equipment and other fittings |
which the air vessel was eventually to |
be provided with.
Greater Catastrophe Avoided.
The catastrophe might have resulted |
in a longer list of victims. as fifty |
school girls from the Johannisthali
Elementary School were playing in a |
field when the airship exploded above |
them. The Roadway OF the airship. |
however carried the hull beyond the |
children, who fed back into school in |
hysterical condition. Their parents |
had to come to the school afterward |
to escort them through the streets.
An aviator who was flying above the |
dirigible was thrown from the seat of |
his aeroplane by the explosion and re-
gained the aerodrome in state Of |
complete collapse.
The papers to-day contained little
except reports Of aerial disasters. In