THE TRAWLER'S STORY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 32, 8 February 1916, Page 3

THE TRAWLER'S STORY.

GERMANS OFFER GOLD FOR RESCUE.

LONDON. February

Mr. Denny, mate of th e King Stephen (the trawler which discovered the damaged Zeppelin floating in the North Sea) states that there was rchance of saving t-he Zeppelin, \vliK it was impossible to tow, as owing to its dead weight it would not stand the strain. The wind was freshening <■■ siderably when the King Stephen left. All the Germans upon the airship had lifedines with the ends attached to the hatchway. When the skipper intimated that it wa simpossible to take such a large number aboard there

vrore angry cries. As the trawl'er was leaving, the Germans shouted, "Gott Strafe England." Ties trawler

ed ten miles, then, seeing the flash of a signalling lamp, she found a sailor lashed high on the wreckage operating a signal. Mr. Denny, continuing his story, said: There were about 100 ft. of the I Zeppelin afloat. The huge bulk of the I inflated gas-bag towered above our j masts. We counted 22 Germans." The ; commander of the Zeppelin offered to give plenty of money, but we feared to send a boat, thinking the Huns ■would overpower the boatmen, hold them as hostages, and enforce any terms treachery might suggest. If we had allowed them to come on board t-he King Stephen, the Germans would have bet>n at Wilhelanshaven by now. j We were loath to leave them. It was not a question of money, but common- j sense. Soon after we left, the sea got j up and probably the gas-bag, hamper-

ed by the heavy machinery, foundered