AIRSHIP DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1921, Page 5

AIRSHIP DISASTER.

CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. WEAK STRUCTURAL FART. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received August 28, 5.5 p.m. London, August 27. Flight-Lieutenant Wann, who commanded airship R3B, summoned the police to the hospital he is in and stated: “I want to say the accident appeared to be due to a weak structural part of the ship, which broke into two pieces. I cannot say which parts. 1 had been flying thirty-six hours before the mishap, and intended .to make this my last flight.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SHARING THE LOSS. Received August 28, 5.5 p.m. Washington, August 26. The Navy Department; has issued a memorandum stating that the United States and Britain will equally the loss of R3B. Payments totalling 1,500,000 dollars have been made, of which Britain will return 500.000. MR. MASSEY’S VIEW. London, August 25. Mr. Massey, interviewed at Euston station, deeply deplored the airship disas- r ter, which wan a terrible blow and would throw the development of commercial airships back many years. “We have now got to face things as they are and it means a long set-back, but I am convinced the airships of the future will prove a sound commercial proposition.”