The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-05-22
TRANSATLANTIC AIR SERVICE BEGINS
Zeppelin Hindenbg Will Make Crossings Regularly Schedules Are
Also Planned for Heavier Than-Ar Flying Ships.

older, safer one, it is certain that the
most important developments In trans
atlantic air travel will come from the
heavier, faster craft.
Nevertheless, the dirigible will re-
tain grandeur that can be easily I'M
derstood. Anyone who has seen the
Graf, the Los Angeles or the linden
burg knows that the zeppelin compares
with the airplane as giant ocean
liner compares with cabin speedboat;
the one is ponderous and majestic, the
other is sleek and swift.
The Hindenburg on her maiden Amer.
lean voyage carried l07 persons, OF ,uhom
81 yere passengers. The passengers
found all the comforts OF first class
hotel, according to the account OF James
McVittie, Chicagoan UhO made the trip
and had had his reservation in since
1881. There ,oas room for dancing, parlor
games and luxurious dining. There Was
fine bar. There tUere berths as comfort.
able as you would find in pullman car.
There tUas even a radio broadcast OF n,u.
sic and speeches from the spacious salon
of the ship.
In an address from the ship as 1t
sped across the sea, DIR. Hugo Eckener,
veteran of airship navigation who &C.
companied Capt. Ernest Lehman as
special adviser, told of the wonders
experienced by those on board.
America Is ahead of u.s." he said.
"About three hours from now we will
be approaching Nantucket lightship and
tomorrow morning before sunrise we
will have left Sandy Hook behind. Our
trip from coast to coast will have lasted
just about fifty hours.
Describes Inspiring Day
II want to greet you all in just these
few words. This present trip is like
dream to me.
Earlier in the day we had mar
velous piano concert. Now our pas
sengers have gathered in the social
hall and smoking room, having grand
time. All this at speed Of ninety
miles an hour and an altitude of 1000
feet above the clouds.
MANY passengers told me today all
this seems unreal. HoW long will il be
until all this will have become just the
ordinary thing, that will cause fear to no.
body, and ,Uiu hardly be mentioned in
the newspapers9
"You know, this trip and those that
are to follow are only experimental.
We want to be on safe ground before
proceeding to the Inauguration of reg
ular airship travel across the Atlantic.
The beginning is indeed encouraging.
think we could learn lot during this
trip, and / am convinced that in due
course we shall gather enough expert
ence that will enable us to cross even
in unfavorable weather conditions, not
employing too much time.
1.-THE interest is tremendous. :"
Sir Hubert wilkins, the noted ex-
plorer, who. with his wife, was a pas
senger on the Hindenburg, expressed
an opinion that the airship was the
more desirable mode of travel for jour-
neys of more than Is hours over the
water.
Yep May Replace Liner
"There is no doubt in my mind" was
the way Sir Hubert put 1t, that if
airships were built in such numbers as
to bring down the cost of construction,
they could be operated on a higher
profit basis than the big sea-going lin
ers of today"
The primary purpose of the linden
burg's crossings this summer will be
to attract financial backing for COM
bined German-American transatlantic
passenger service, Doctor Eckener adj
mitted.
The United States had cooled off to
almost zero in its sympathies totUard air.
ships as result Of the Akron and Macon
disasters, but it is hoped that the neto
".ep," making regular trips will ,oin
back Americas confidence. There ,oas a
scheme in 1929 to back such an air serp.