INQUIRY RESUMED

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 134, 4 December 1930, Page 9

INQUIRY RESUMED

DR. ECKENER PRESENT

LEAKAGE OF GAS

United Press Association—)sy Electric Telegraph— Copyrisht. (Received 4tk December, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, 3rd' December. At the resumption of the inquiry into tho RlOl disaster, Dr. Eckener, commander of the- German, airship Graf Zeppelin, conferred with the chairman, Sir John Simon, and the assessors for half an hour, after which he entered the Court arm in arm with Sir John. Simon, alongside whom he took a seat. Mr. A. E. Gerrish, sheds manager at Cardington, gave evidence that during the two months the RlOl was in tho hangar until 26th September, the average daily leakage of gas was 22,588 cubic feet, totalling 1,467,000 cubic feet. The Solicitor-General said he thought this would be due to the permeability of the fabric, which would allow two thousand cubic feet to pass, and valveleakage to the extent of four thousand cubic feet, and the remainder to tho holes caused by chafing during the Hendon flight; these holes were later mended, after which the total loss was not serious. Mr. Gerrish added that tho RIOO lost eighty thousand cubic feet daily when in the hangar after her Atlantic flight. Sir Sefton Branckor appeared more concerned in the cost of the gas than at the actual loss. Mr. Gerrish added that tho gas lost on the flight would be compensated by' the consumption of fuel. Mr. Disley, a survivor, gave evidence that ten minutes before tho start of the fatal journey he noticed that No. 4 gasbag had shrunk from 18 to 24 inches. Chief Coxswain Hunt, who inspected the gasbags, did not seem concerned at them. The inquiry was adjourned.