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Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 260, 2 November 1928, Page 7

WELCOME HOME.

ZEPPELIN'S RETURN.

Completes Successful Plight

From America.

A TRYING VOYAGE.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 10 a.m.)

LONDON, November 1

The Zeppelin LZI27, which left Lakehurst, New Jersey, on Monday afternoon on her return flight across the Atlantic to Germany, reached Friedrichshafen at 7.10 a.m. to-day. The time taken on the flight was 72 hours 15 minutes. The airship brought 101,683 letters and postcards weighing one ton, for which the German postal administration will be credited with £15,142 by America. The airship had been reported, earlier in the morning, to be flying over Orleans, France. It flew over Tours, France, at 2.30 a.m. at a height of 6000 ft or 7000 ft. People ran out into the streets when the terrific roar of her engines was heard. At Friedrichshafen the landing ground was already crowded at a very early hour, thousands of people having flocked to the scene from all parts of Germany. On the last stages of the flight Commander Eckener had considerable difficulty in keeping his bearings. Hβ repeatedly wirelessed Le Bourget aerodrome, near Paris, and Friedrichshafen for directions. The wep-ther conditions forced him to keep further south than he expected. The fog was so thick that she could not be seen above Basle, Switzerland, though her engines were clearly heard. Finally she was slowed down and hovered above Lake Constance for two hours in order to allow the weather to clear and secure the benefit of daylight.

The LZI27 landed amid the firing of salutes and the singing of German and American national songs. Passports and Customs formalities were quickly settled. The passengers were greeted with thunderous cheers and pelted with flowers as they emerged from the Customs shed, as were Dr. Eckener and the crew, and even the stowaway, Clarence Terhune. The latter received a provisional passport from the American Consul from Stuttgart in the cabin of the airship. He was then spirited through a side door of the Customs shed in order to foil the efforts of journalists, to interview I him. Before going to bed Dr. Eckener said the dense fog in the last stages had made navigation difficult. The Zeppelin had stood the test well. "You should have seen the steamers we met rolling in heavy seas," he said. "We had not the slightest trouble with our engines." The LZI27 took 111 hours 48 minutes to reach Lakehurst, New Jersey, from Friedrichshafen. ECKENER'S OPINION. Airship Not Suitable For Passenger Service. ATROCIOUS WEATHER MET. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 11 a.m.)

BERLIN, November 1

The average cruising speed of tlie LZI27 was just under 60 miles per hour throughout the 4000 miles trip. Dr. Eckener clearly recognises that this is inadequate to compete with liners. "The Graf Zeppelin is finished as far as regular passenger service is concerned and we must build quicker and stronger airships," he said. He adds that both trips were entirely without luck and carried out in the worst possible weather. The storm off Newfoundland was most terrible and brought the airship almost to a standstill for two hours, though the engines were running all out. The Zeppelin heaved, rocked and trembled and it was only with the greatest difficulty that they succeeded in manoeuvring to less hostile regions. Though they first sighted Friedrichshafen at three o'clock in the morning they did not land till seven owing to the darkness. . Von Hindenburg telegraphed his welcome, inviting Dr. Eckener to Berlin. It is believed he will go next week. STOWAWAY HERO. Wants Back .To Dear Old Yankee Land. SQUIRMS THROUGH PORT-HOLE (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 10 a.m.) BERLIN, November 1. While the other passengers descended the ladder, Clarence Terhune, the stowaway, squirmed through a port-hole. Two police were in waiting, however, and took him to the office to the directors. Meanwhile the spectators were shoutings "Where is the stowaway? Thenceforward Clarence was the hero of the occasion. He was beseiged by autograph hunters and kept busy hundreds of albums. While the others breakfasted he slept. .He says he is refusing all jobs in Europe and intends to return to the dear old United States within a week.