ther damaged. Repairs were completed by the end
of September, 1900, and on a second trial flight made on October 21st a
speed of 30 feet per second was reached.

Zeppelin was far from satisfied with the performance of this vessel,
and he therefore set about collecting funds for the construction of
a second, which was completed in 1905. By this time the internal
combustion engine had been greatly improved, and without any increase of
weight, Zeppelin was able to instal two motors of 85 horse-power each.
The total capacity was 367,000 cubic feet of hydrogen, carried in 16 gas
bags inside the framework, and the weight of the whole construction
was 9 tons--a ton less than that of the first Zeppelin airship. Three
vertical planes at front and rear controlled horizontal steering, while
rise and fall was controlled by horizontal planes arranged in box form.
Accident attended the first trial of this second airship, which took
place over the Bodensee on November 30th, 1905, 'It had been intended to
tow the raft, to which it was anchored, further from the shore against
the wind. But the water was too low to allow the use of the raft. The
balloon was therefore mounted on pontoons, pulled out into the lake, and
taken in tow by a motor-boat. It was caught by a strong wind which was
blowing from the shore, and driven ahead at such a rate that it
overtook the motor-boat. The tow rope was therefore at once cut, but it
unexpectedly formed into knots and became entangled with the airship,
pulling the front end down into the water. The balloon was then caught
by the wind and lifted into the air, when the propellers were set
in motion. The front end was at this instant pointing in a downward
direction, and consequently it shot into the water, where it was found
necessary to open the valves.'[*]

[*] Hildebrandt, Airships Past and Present.

The damage done was repaired within six weeks, and the second trial
was made on January 17th, 1906. The lifting force was too great for
the weight, and the dirigible jumped immediately to 1,500 feet. The
propellers were started, and the dirigible brought to a lower level,
when it was found possible to drive against the wind. The steering
arrangements were found too sensitive, and the motors were stopped, when
the vessel was carried by the wind until it was over land--it had been
intended that the trial should be completed over water. A descent was
successfully accomplished and the dirigible was anchore