The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-09

right in Great Britain.I
Berlin. Feb. 1. via Tho Hague ana
London. Feb. ST have always
hoped to be the first to pilot an air.
ship across the Atlantic. I have be-
lieved that to do so would be the
crowning effort Of my career" de.
clared Count Ferdinand Won Zeppelin.
when he resumed his discussion ef
the possibilities of the giant aircraft
that bears his name.
mot to lombard New York ana
Washington" asked him quickly.
The count was very grave az he re-
Piled 1t was plain from his general
attitude that he has been greatly trou-
bled over the charges of ruthlessness
IN the use OF dirfgibles in war and In
timations that they were beyond the
pale" OF civilized warfare.
Throw bombs on people who have
been SO kind to me when was among
want to sail on q peaceful mission
when 1 go to America. My greAfest
ambition has not been to create an en-
gine Of destruction. It has been to
demonstrate that the Zeppelins were
to be used ~ mere instruments Of
warfare
Delayed by War.
| 1t was evident that the demolition
Of the skyscrapers of New York. ana
destruction Of the historic structures
of Washington were farthest from the
Thoughts OF the man who IL responsi-
BILE for a form OF terror which has
been SO aptly described as ''the Yep
pelin chill" He seemed to be ponder
| ing matters over In his mind. For Z
few seconds there was silence. zen
speaking with an intensity OF thought
as though he were talking to himself.
the count continued:
l ~ns,k< ~eJa Rr~A
fear that 1t won't be aoOomplished-
at least not In tho near future
II seEhen you be1knS& chat trano-Aklan-
f<1c asria1 travel with q dirfgible Of the
TYPE you havs constructed Is posA-
:.Not only possibie. but practicable.
This war has interfered with my plans.
I know that aerial travel will become
the quickest and safest method. Yep
pelins in their development have, in
my opinion. great future before
them. Few people know the delight
and safety of travel through the air.
They will become great factors for
quick passenger and mail service"
How long do you think 1t would
take Zeppelin to make a flight from
here to New York;" asked.
'.rhree or four days-perhaps
more. perhaps less. 1t would depend
upon the wind and weather. Anyhow,
it could hardly be expected that the
voyage would be made In the shortest
time any more than that the first
steamship established the record"
Future Of Zcppellns.
what Will be the trend Of devel-
opment in the Zeppelins OF the fu-
ture?"
where they are to be utilized for
warcraft, a form Of construction that
will permit them to fly much higher
than at present. For commercial pur-
poses, they must have greater carry
ing capacity and greater speed. Az
compared with the years 1t took to
develop the railroad. my aircrafts are
merely beginning their career. At
present they too much depend upon
wind and weather.
with the exception of the first
flight that made, 1 cannot conceive
a more inspiring moment than when
pilot one Of my cruisers into New
York and then go on to Washington"
There was no doubt that the vetef-
an inventor was keen1y alive to the
defects that are still to be overcome
before his airships are completely sue
cessful. Plainly he had no doubt that
there were many problems still un-
solved and he did not seem to believe
there would ever come great battles
in the air on the scale so luridly Pic
tured by imaginative writer's OF 6es
ton.
perhaps there won't be wars when
this stage OF perfection is reached
the count said.