The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-02-13

was d SplSuulu SpSCiluSn VI iAi1ti
hood and a thorough gentleman. His
position was most humiliating and
most trying. He performed his du-
ties with utmost tact and though his
face expressed in every line the sad
ness he felt, he never by a single
word or act betrayed his feelings.
He was courtesy itself and, though
often he would refuse requests that
he considered improper and not re-
quired by the terms of the armistice,
he attempted in every way possible
to facilitate the work of the COM
mission.
At the landing we were assigned
motor cars and driven to the railway
station through the city of Wilhelms-
haven-a distance of about three
miles-where we found waiting a
special train with the private car of
the Grand Duke of Odenburg to take
US to Ahlhorn, the Zeppelin station we
were to inspect This required a
journey Of about 80 kilometres and
took about an hour and a half to
make it. The country through which
we passed was not at all interesting
as it was very low and marshy. Every
now and then we passed through a
farming district and / was struck
with the neat appearance of the
farm houses and buildings. Every
thing was constructed of brick and
the roofs were of red tile. Neat and
orderly was the appearance of every
thing. The roads were wonderfully
paved and along them you could see
the farmers taking their produce
mostly sugar beets-to market in
large carts drawn by poor looking
horses or men.
There was an entire absence of
almost. every kind of draft animal
and cattle: 1 did not see a single
cow during the week that was ac-
tually in Germany and only few
horses and sheep. You see that all
animals were commandeered by the
government and it was practically
impossible to get milk even in the
remotest country districts. The train
stopped only at switching points and
at the large city of Odenburg, so
that we had practically no chance to
observe the people. What few we
did see regarded us as curiosities and
Passed no remarks one way or the
other. The few women distinctly
turned their heads when they saw us
and, though I am sure their curiosi-
ty must have been terrific, they did
not let us see it.
The inspection at Ahlhorn was
very interesting to me from a tech
nical point of view but dare say
that it would not interest you to go
into the details. Suffice it to say
that I saw there my first Zeppelin,
though it was not by any means
the first experience had had with
them. My former experience with
them was in London in February OF
last year when 1 had seen several
shadows, which / was told WERE Zep-
pel:ns, fitting through the rays of
the anti-aircraft defenses of Lon
don, and had heard the explosions OF
the bombs they dropped and the
countless shrapnel shells that induc-
ed several to fall. They rudely inter
rupted a performance by Ellen Terry
that 1 was witnessing and, though /
had hurried from the theater to see
what the noise was all about, had
never really seen one till 1 stood be-
side them in the great sheds at Ahl-
horn.
They are enormous giants, re-
During sheds nearly 500 feet long,
$50 feet high and as many wide to
house them. Fitted with wonderful
engines they can easily maintain a
speed of Is miles an hour and can
stay out for days and days at time
This is what enabled them to bomb
London with such regularity and
with such deadly effect.
The following trips to Cuxhaven
Brunsbittel, Nordholdtz and Geester'
munde on the North Sea and of War.
nermunder on the Baltic are all simi:
lar and revealed the. most wonderful
skill and ingenuity in the construc'
ton of marvellous bases. No ex'
pense had been spared to produce
magnificent stations and there is ab'
solutely no doubt in my mind that
those stations surpass anything OF
the kind in the world.
At Nordholzt we were able to view
Ione of the most famous of the Ger.
bo uoforon ET, ID >