CONQUERING THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 195, 7 August 1908, Page 3

CONQUERING THE AIR.

COUNT 2U.PPELIVS SHIP DESfgr - Si.KOY.LD. IScrliii, August 0. Count Zeppelin's airship started from ITedriekshaven yesterday morning and jiassed over Bale, Strassburg, Darmstadt, and ileyence. It descended into !the Rhine at Oppenheim, after iweive jiours' travelling, owing to a detect in ithe machinery. After this was remedied it proceeded at night to Stuttgart and there descended. It resumes the journey to Lake Constance to-night. Berlin, Later. A thunderstorm caused an explosion on the airship, and utterly destroyed it. PARTICULARS OF THE ACCIDENT. •ASSISTANTS SEVERELY INJURED. '' A FATAL LEAP. THE COUNT'S GRIEF. PRACTICAL.SYMPATHY'. lit.". " - Received 0, 11.4 a p.m. Berlin, August C. . While moored for repairs at Echtertlingen on Wednesday afternoon, a sulden violent thunderstorm struck Count Zeppelin's airship, blowing one of the cars into the air. When it fell to the ground its motor exploded and ignited the rest of the airship. Several of the soldiers holding the car were severely injured. . Storms blew the blazing airship awiy, completing its destruction. Fifty thousand people witnessed the incident. When the blazing airship ros« in the air one of the mechanics in the ear jumped from n considerable height and was mortally injured. Others wrre badly burnt'. , When informed of the destruction ol ~ liis airship, Count Zeppelin burst inProfound svmpalhy is felt for.hini. 'A movement "is on foot to organise r, great national gift. The Federal Gov ■ ernment has decided to pay Count /.vv pelin £25.000 by way of compensatwi for bis loss.

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