Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-26
ONLY THREE BODIES
FOUND OF "A LOST
IN R2 DISASTER
Others May Not be Recovered
Until Wreckage of Balloon
is Raised.
HUNT CAUSE OF THE MlSHAP

by Associated Press TO Every Evening
Hull. England, Aug c6.--Workmen
engaged in salvaging the wrcckagc of
the zR-2 from the turbid waters of
the Humber, where 1t fell with its
human freight on Wednesday evening,
employed powerful cranes today TO
lift the skeleton of the airship. IT
was believed that as soon as the
twisted and tangled frame work OF
the dirgible was raised. 1t would be
possible 20 recover the bodies of the
men who died when the big dirgible
collapsed and caught fire.
The work of lifting the wreckage
was a herculean task for. in addition
TO the great weight offthe aluminium
frame work and the pendant gondolas
carrying the driving machinery. the
swift current of the river had al
ready begun to cover the Immersed
ruins with deposits of sand. Divers
who went dowr into the iabyrinthine
ruins yesterday found the current 80
strong that their work was attended
by great danger and they finally de
cliued to take further chances be-
meath the water,
River men believe that the bodies of
some Of the victims of the disaster
had been borne away by the tide or
The rivers current. and il was said
that fragments of the dir!gible's
covering fabric had been found along
the river ten miles from the scene of
the accident
Official inquiry into the cause of the
disaster will begin tomorrow morning
Mt Howden. where the ZR-2 was sta
toned before she started on her last
voyage The United States will be
represeDted by naval attache, who
Will sit with the court. 1t seemed
probable today, however. that the
findings of the court would be in
fuenced by the result of eyamina-
tions by experts OF the frame work of
the airship after Il had been lifted
from the Humber.
There seemed TO be a general agree
ment that the accident was caused
by the collapse OF a longitudinal girder
in the middle of the riirigibie. but il
was expected that the experts would
be able to determine with some degree
of accuracy the reason for the tragedy
when they had before them the metal
parts of the huge airship.
lt NAS tAptStsu tire ttiotlti
inquest 10 be held today would be
adjourned after formal Identification
OF the three bodies which were recov-
cred and the issuance of permits for
their removal. The adjournment. IL
was reported. would he for several
weeks at least. probably TO October
!. when IL would reconyene for a full
cxamina tion of witnesses with a view
tn determining the cause of the dis
aster. whether IL was unavoidable. or
was due TO weather conditions or the
careiessness or negligence of those
IN control of the ZR-e.
The English law does not permit
emtalming until after the coreners
inquest. but. in Difference to the wish
80 OF the American authorities here.
the bodies of Lieutenants Little and
Esterly were emhalmed a few hours
after they were recovered.
The .coroner stated this morning he
did not believe more bodies would
h. found until the wreck of the air
ship was raised and searched. Every
effort ia being made TO recover bod
les OF the victims. and searching part
ies are maintaining a constant look
out on both sides of the Humber for
miles above and below Hull.
John Il. Grouth, American consul
here. planned TO accompany repre-
sentauves of the American embassy
in Lnndon to the coroner's inquest.
Members of the American naval de-
tachment assigned to the ZR-2 were
20 be called upon 70 identify the bid
3eF OF their comrades