Imperial Valley press., 1929-08-03

1920 north, and longitude 1920
west. The position was accompanied
by the information ''all is well. p"
Tht position given is approxima-
tely 80 miles southwest of Fayal,
Azores, and 1900 miles east of Lake
hurst, n. j., and directly east Of the
Virginia Capes according to navy
department computation.
NEW YORK, Aug. ;. WR-IIer
flight from Germany TO Lakchurst,
n. j. more than half over, the
giant dirigble Graf Zeppelin vas
able today to be in direct touch
with the United States from the
mid Atlantic.
Friedrichshafcn early Thursday
morning the Graf Zeppelin estab-
lished direct communications with
the United States navy radio sta
tion at Washington at 1905 p. m.
est Friday and from now she
will report to the navy at regular
intervals, every eight hours at first
and then every four hours.
The Mackay Radio and Telegraph
Company informed the United Press
at 4 an, EST today that the
Graf had been heard at intervals
during the night, talking by radio
with 'he Arlington station and also
with foreign stations.
The Graf's first report to the
navy said she was 90 miles south
OF pico, one of the Azores Islands,
and that she was progressing stead.
lily IN her westward journey at a
rate of approximately 80 miles an
hour. The report said that the Graf
was encountering light winds.
Before that report came n United
Press dispatch from Ponta Delgada,
Azores, said the Graf had dropped
n bag of mail over Santa Maria Is
land, one of the Azores group, and
sped on. Previous dispatches from
the islands aud from passing steam
ers reported that the Graf was max.
ing steady progress against the
winds which she had TO buffet al
most from the time she left her
base "a; Fricdrichshafen.
The speed made by the dirigible
has been disappointing to officials
of the Zeppelin line. According to
the latest available figures she has
averaged but little better than 40
miles an hour from Fricdrichshafcn
to the Azores Islands, and unless
-weath"r conditions improve mater.
tally il was not believed that the
ship would reach Lakehurst before
some time Monday.
Course Undecided
DIR. Hugo Eckener, commander of
the Graf, stated on his first day
out that he would not decide upon
which course he would take from
the Azores until he reached the is
land group. II was believed here,
however, that he would strike out
on direct course so as to pass
north of the Rermudas and then
head in directly for the Lakehurst
field.
The Graf Zeppelin carried aboard
a crew of 40 men, Is passengers,
two of them women, and stowa-
way, who managed to get aboard in
spite of all the precautions which
were taken by the officials at the
Friedrichshafcn hangar.
On board also were two gorillas,
n male and female, Looie and
Su(y, 40 canaries, piano and
more than n ton of mail. All the
reports indicated that the passen-
gers were having pleasant com.
Portable time and that the weather,
except for the winds, was good.
AT first there was considerable
mystery as to the stowaway. DR..
Eckener, apparently not wishing to
raise the young German lad to the
rank of "hero, probably has ask
ed for as little publicity on the sub.
jeet as possible.
The lad was confined in the
crew 's headquarters and will be de-
ported to Germany as soon ms the
Graf lands at Lakehurst. DR.. Eek
ener was said to have demanded
severe punishment for the boy for
endangering the success of the
flight.