We regret to have to record the loss of the
German naval air- ship Ll. The vessel, a Zeppelin dirigible built in 1912, was caught in a sudden storm about eighteen miles north of Heligoland at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, and dashed to the surface of the sea, sinking in about an hour's time with the loss of fourteen lives, including Captain Metzing, commander of the naval airship division, and Captain Htuane, the pilot. Wireless messages for assistance brought torpedo boats to the spot, but only six lives were saved. The Li, which was taken over by the naval authorities last October, had a cubic capacity of 776,000 cubic feet, and could travel at about fifty-two miles an hour. Widespread sympathy is felt with the German nation and with the veteran inventor, Count Zeppelin. Though eight of his airships had been destroyed by storm or accident before this last disaster, Germany's pre-eminence in dirigibles is largely due to his indomitable persistence. It will be remembered that the German people gave practical proof of their confidence in his system by subscribing £300,000 for him after the wreck of the Zeppelin IV. in 1908.
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