Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-08-25
NAVAL OFFICIALS
PLAN TO REQUEST
RIGHT TOBU|LD
SHIP LIKE ZR-2
i'WiII Build and Operate as
Many ZR-2'S as May Be
, Authorized by Congress" "
Says Chief of Air Bureau.
DENBY SENDS ENGLAND
MESSAGE OF SYMPATHY
Official Dispatches to De-
partment Do Not Garry In
formation to Show Cause
of Accident to Ship,
fBx The Associated Press \


Washington, Aug. 24.-Expres-
sions of deep regret were voiced by
government officials without ex-
ception today over the destruction
of the giant airship ZR-2 with a
heavy loss of American and Brit
ish lives. Pride in the acquisition
of the new queen of the air and
hopes of tremendous development
in military and commercial aero
nautics had lent interest to the
planned transatlantic flight OF the
British built air cruiser, even be-
yond that which 1t normally would
have aroused.
Latest advices to the navy de-
partment indicated that of the
seventeen members of the hand
picked American crew on board
during the test. only one, Quarter
master Norman o. Walker Of Com
merce, Tex, survived. London dis
patches. however, put the Ameri-
can loss at seventeen, declaring
every American on board was
lost.
"It is terrible thing" was the
sad comment Of Secretary Denby
as he received cabled dispatches
giving details.
Mr.. DENLY Immediately forward
ed to the British air ministry a
message expressing the navy de-
partment's sympathy.
1.-THE navy department of the
United States extends to the air
ministry and the British navy
deepest sympathy in the appalling
disaster to the ZR-2." the message
said. I'VE hope our early reports
will prove exaggerated as to the
loss of life"
Far from being discouraged by
the disaster, navy aviation officials
Immediately prepared to seek au-
thority for construction of a new
ship of the ZR-2 type in the Unit
ed States.
I'VE will carry on; build and
operate as many ZR-2's as may be
authorized by congress-" Admiral
William A. Moffett, chief of the
naval bureau of aeronautics. said
tonight, 80 that the brave men
may not have lost their lives in
vain"
Other aviation officers, while
greatly distressed, declared they
had not lost faith in rigid airships
They pointed out that Germany
had built and successfully operat-
ed lao ships of similar design,
many of only slightly less carrying
capacity, while English construct
ors had turned out sixteen.
The only serious accidents re-
corded against there. so far as
naval files indicate. was the wreck
of an early German Zeppelin over
Lake Constance and the smashing
of the British R-34, when she ran
afoul of her hangar.
Official dispatches to the de-
partment did not contain any in
formation upon which experts
could base an opinion as to the
cause of the disaster. The opinion
was expressed, however. that the
theory of an explosion of hydrogen
gas in one or more of the fourteen
compartments might be dismissed.
The theory most generally ex-
pressed was that a structural
weakness developed, similar to that
recently reported officials by
American observers. rupturing the
envelope so as to bring the hot
gases of the engine exhaust in'con-
tact with the hydrogen. or that
buckling of structural braces
might have punctured the fuel
containers, permitting the escap-
ing gasoline to come in contact
with the exhaust lines.
Another possible cause Of the
accident. but considered remote,
involving a buckling of structural
braces over or near one Of the six
power eggs" which carried the
$50 horse power engines.