The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-02-13

probably go down in the annals and archives of the United States navy as one of its greatest feats," said Admiral Senn. "I sincerely feel that in my 4S years as a mem. Der of the navy, have never seen such a feat performed under con- ditions which I know were any, thing but favorable for such a task as confronted the officers and men Of the United States battle fleet" Admiral Joseph M. Reeves, com- mander in chief of the U. s. fleet, informed naval headquarters in Washington that he did not con- template an attempt to recover the Macon Wreckage as she sank in 26O fathoms.
 It was said, however, that the U. s. /Geodetic Survey boat was seeking bits of wreckage for pos- sible use in naval investigations.
 The Macon met no such storms as struck the Shenandoah and the Akron. Lieut.. Commander Wiley mentioned "squally weather" and Henderson, the Point Sur light house keeper, spoke of a Sudden of wind, rain and fog"
 officials naval inquiries into exact weather conditions and structural behavior of the great ship already were under way here and in Wash. ington.
 Major Sea Disasters. Washington, Feb 13- (UP)- Eight major dirigible disasters since 1921 have taken 267 lives in addition to two lives lost in the Macon disaster.
 January, 1921- British R-34. moored at Howden, England. Rip ped to pieces by gale. No lives lost.
 August, 1921-ZR-2, built in England for the United States. Burst into flames over hull, Eng land. Forty-four dead.
 February, 1922- Semi-dirigible Roma, purchased from Italy by the United States, burned over Hampton Roads, VU. Thirty-four dead.
 December, 1923-French Dix nude, disappeared over Mediter- ranean. Wreckage never found. Fifty lost.
 September, 1s25- Shenandoah broken up in storm over Ohio. Fourteen dead.
 May, 1929-Italia, carrying Gen. Umberto Mobile and a party to North Pole, destroyed. Six killed.
 october. 1930- British R-1O1 crashed Never Beauvais. France. Forty-six killed.
 April, 1933-U. S. s. Akron forc- ed down off Jersey coast in storm. Seventy-three dead.
 Two For the Hospital.
 San Francisco, Feb 13-(UP)- Rear Admiral Charles B. Courtney, commanding the battle cruiser force bringing the Macon survivors to San Francisco, informed head quarters today that two of the dirigible crew will require hospital treatment.
 "Arrive about 10:30 a. m. (PST, 1880 D. m. EST)" the admiral's 8 message said. Injuries not serious but ambulance may be necessary
 New England Survivors.
 San Francisco. Feb 13-(UP)- Among the survivors of the U. s. Dirigible Macon were:
 W. F. Germain, Oxford, Mass.
 E. c. Thurman, Kittery, Me.
 w. A. Thompson, Norway, Me.
 Designer of Macon.
 Washington, Feb b13--(UP)-The U. s. s. Macon was designed by Dr Karl Arnstein and built by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation at Akron, O., in 1888. It was the worlds largest lighter-than-air craft.
 It was a sister ship of the U. 8. s. Akron which went down off the coast of New Jersey.
 In general appearance, the Ma con was virtually a replica of the Akron. Both ships were 785 feet in length, 133 feet in diameter at the widest point and both had an overall height of 146.5 feet.
 The Macon, like the Akron, had 12 huge gas cells with a total ca pacity of 6,50O,000 cubic feet of Helium, which was non-explosive