subsequently proved to be the easiest and
most straightforward part of the whole undertaking. There were other and
more serious problems to be solved. How would such a monster craft come
to earth? How could she be manipulated upon the ground? How could she
be docked? Upon these three points previous experience was silent. One
German inventor who likewise had dreamed big things, and had carried
them into execution, paid for his temerity and ambitions with his life,
while his craft was reduced to a mass of twisted and torn metal. Under
these circumstances Count Zeppelin decided to carry out his flights
over the waters of the Bodensee and to house his craft within a
floating dock. In this manner two uncertain factors might be effectively
subjugated.

Another problem had been ingeniously overcome. The outer envelope
presented an immense surface to the atmosphere, while temperature was
certain to play an uncertain part in the behaviour of the craft. The
question was to reduce to the minimum the radiation of heat and cold to
the bags containing the gas. This end was achieved by leaving a slight
air space between the inflated gas balloons and the inner surface of the
hull.

The first ascent was made on July 2nd, 1900, but was disappointing,
several breakdowns of the mechanism occurring while the vessel was in
mid-air, which rendered it unmanageable, although a short flight was
made which sufficed to show that an independent speed of 13 feet per
second could be attained. The vessel descended and was made fast in her
dock, the descent being effected safely, while manoeuvring into dock was
successful. At least three points about which the inventor had been in
doubt appeared to be solved--his airship could be driven through the air
and could be steered; it could be brought to earth safely; and it could
be docked.

The repairs to the mechanism were carried out and on October 17th and
21st of the same year further flights were made. By this time certain
influential Teuton aeronautical experts who had previously ridiculed
Zeppelin's idea had made a perfect volte-face. They became staunch
admirers of the system, while other meteorological savants participated
in the trials for the express purpose of ascertaining just what the ship
could do. As a result of elaborate trigonometrical calculations it was
ascertained that the airship attained an independent speed of 30 feet
per second, which exceeded anything previously achieved. The c