GERMAN AIRSHIP'S GREAT FEAT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3193, 19 May 1909, Page 7

GERMAN AIRSHIP'S GREAT FEAT.

A remarkable feat, involving a most perilous and exciting experience for the aeronauts, was recently bv the German army airship Zeppelin 1., which, after and all-day flight of 172 miles in violent weather, landed without injury either to herself or crew, says a London paper. The Zeppelin 1., with Count Zeppelin, her inventor, and Major Sperling in command, three stpff officers, chief engineer, two sub-engineers, and a crew from the Army Balloon Corps left Friedrichshafen at four o'clock in the morning in dull and very windy weather. Despite the gusts of wind the Zeppelin rose easily, and commenced her task, which was to perform a quick longdistance trip of 112 miles to Munich. Special orders had been issued to the officials at the railway stations along the route that the s'-utions should remain lighted all nit: hi', so as to show the aeronauts their way. In the towns and villages en r.»ute an

I alarm bell was rung to apprise the . inhabitants of the approach of the \ airship. At nine a.m. the bells of Munich began to ring and cannon were- fired announcing that the Zeppelin was approaching. Five, minutes later the hum of the motors was heard and then the Imperial airship was seen majestically moving towards the Exhibition Hall in a diagonal flight about 300 ft high in the air. It made a deviation to the southwads, and then stood still above the heads of the enormous multitude, which broke out into frenzied acclamations. The airship dipped her bows thrice before the Prince Regent, and then suddenly, quick as an arrow, rose 300 feet and glided off, passing broadside on the Town Hall and the Frauenkirche to the palace, where Princess Maria Theresa and her daugher, standing on the roof of the Georgenkapelle, waved a salutation with their handkerchiefs. The airship then proceeded to the Oberwiesenfeld parade ground. Here an enormous crowd had gathered to watch the airship's manoeuvres and to witness her descent. The south-west wind had, however, increased so much as to be practically a gale, and after several attempts the idea of landbg on the parade ground was given up. The Zeppelin, then caught by the wind, was driven swiftly in the direction of Oberfoehring. : Fearing that the Zeppelin might be in danger a military airship detachment was at once ordered to frllaw by special train to render assistance. A "troop of cavalry was sent also in pursuit. At noon the Zeppelin passed over Landshut, in Bavaria, going in the direction of Freising, and at three o'clock on the Thursday afternoon landed safely at Meder Vielbach, near Pingolfing. The airship thusaccomplished a journey of 172 miles, and, whatever deviations she had to make because of the violent wind, came back successfully to her originally north-easterly course. The Zeppelin L, which the German Government has purchased, is said, to be the fastest airship in existence." , Her lifting powers are also extraordinary, and she recently made a flight with twenty-six passengers on board, rising to a height of 5,643 feet. Count Zeppelin's former air--ship, it will be remembered, was destroyed by a petrol explosion last August at Stuttgart, after a successful journey of 44 u miles.