ONE BOTTLE LEFT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 487, 17 October 1928, Page 1

ONE BOTTLE LEFT

GOOD TIME ON ZEPPELIN HAZARDOUS REPAIRS MADE PASSENGERS CALM EXPERTS are waiting to see how the British airships RIOO and RlOl fare before they discuss the Atlantic flight success of the German Zeppelin LZI27. Judging from reports, the Zeppelin’s passengers made the journey a happy one. Only one bottle of liquor was left when the airship landed, and at least 2,000 bottles of beer and 200 bottles of champagne were aboard at the start of the journey. (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) f United Service)

Reed. 9.5 a.m. NEW YORK, Tuesday. The Zeppelin crew is scheduled to receive an official welcome by the city to-day, commencing with a visit to the City Hall and a parade up Broadway, after which there will be a private dinner. Then will come a theatre show, at which they will be given a further reception on the stage during the intermission. Dr. Eckener declared to-day that he saw no signs of excitement among the passengers at the time of the accident to the fin. He stated that when they learned what had occurred, “they raised their glasses and drank to the health of everybody.” Dr. Eckener seemed very tired. He said he had not slept more than eight hours during the whole trip. He denied that there was a shortage of food aboard; but several passengers agreed that the water supply almost gave out. Fortunately, there was plenty of beer, wine and liquors put aboa'i’d, all of which was consumed except one bottle when the airship landed. CROWD THRONGS FIELD The Zeppelin flew 5,600 miles in four days 15 hours 48 minutes. Thousands of people thronged the landing-field at Lakehurst, New Jersey, and broke through the police lines to swarm about the dirigible. Policemen and marines finally cleared the field.

Dr. Eckener, commander of the airship. was the first to appear. He remarked to the crowd; “We are delighted to be here.” He received a tremendous ovation. Customs, immigration and health officers then boarded the Zeppelin and performed the same duties as they would on a liner. The DZI27 is proving most difficult to place in the hangar. Soldiers are still attempting to move it in to avoid stormy weather, but it will probably have to be moored to the mast to load water and ballast when the passengers leave SOME UNPLEASANTNESS Considerable unpleasantness was caused by disagreements and alleged discourtesies between the German passengers and American officials. Unfamiliarity with each other’s languages probably caused this. One pasesnger, Mr. Theo Matiko, said he was struck on the face by an official when he was alighting. This was his first visit to the United States, but he had found more courtesy among the natives of Albania and Bulgaria. The passengers grouped together and held an indignation meeting. They threatened to boycott the reception planned for them if the Customs officers failed to allow them to leave the field quickly. Howevqr, Herr Karl von Lewinski, German Consul-General, advised the passengers that the delay was due to Dr. Eckener’s order that nobody musf approach the airship. The Assistant-Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Warner, was threatened with arrest by one of his own men. Spanish interests have leased the Zeppelin for two years, with the option of buying it, according to Colonel Emilio Herrera, of the Royal Spanish Navigation Department, a passenger.

BIGGER AND BIGGER AIRSHIPS OF FUTURE A HEROIC EPISODE (United Service) Reed. 9.5 a.m. VANCOUVER, Tues. Dr. Eckener, interviewed, said: “We were forced to cut our speed to half because the rear of the ship dipped after the lower cover was torn awa>, and there was a danger of tearing away the upper cover. “The fact that we repaired the damage in mid-Atlantic, and came happily to America is a sign of the great stability of these ships. “The weather was extremely bod, but four men climbed out iu terrible wind and rain and rode on the girders with the Atlantic under them while they secured the loose ends of the fin “The Graf is not the ultimate size for transatlantic service. We shall build them bigger and bigger until the most efficient size has been achieved."