ACROSS ATLANTIC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 26 March 1930, Page 5

ACROSS ATLANTIC

STEAMER OR AIRSHIP?

DEVELOPMENTS IN AMERICA

AIR MAIL AND PASSENGER LINE

(United Preßfl Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright)

NEW YORK, 24th March

Charles Mitchell, chairman of the National City Company, and Dr. Hugo Eckenor, commander of the Graf .Zeppelin, announced that they are joining prominent financial and air craft interests in the United States and Europe for tlie establishment of a lighter than air mail and passenger trans-Atlantic line. Preparation and organisation of the service will proceed during the present year. I The announcement indicates that participation in a lighter than air enterprise shows a belief that trans-ocean traffic must be surrendered to the lighter than air branch of aeronautics. Eckener stated: "This is of particular importance to me because it means that the aeroplane and the airship long regarded as competitors, are joining in a co-operative enterprise. We have already achieved what might be called a moral success over a long period of time, and those were necessary and gave us assurance and courage to proceed. Now we have gone beyond moral achievement into tlie field of actual accomplishment. We are ready to go ahead .and complete our studies o;f practical problems to bo solved before launching the project. A company has been formed with capital fully subscribed, and by the end of the year we will have completed our studies."