5,432 pounds (6,000 or 7,000 kilograms), without depending on the
thrust from the motors.

In the fall of 1917 "altitude" motors were developed, larger and having
supercompression. They did not develop full power at sea level but
instead functioned normally at 10,000 feet altitude above sea level.
They, moreover, gave ample power higher than that. They speeded up the
Zeppelins to 70.5 miles per hour (31.5 meters per second).

The Zeppelin company built thirty-six ships of this type (Plate 10-L43),
from 1916 to 1918; and they were used by the army and navy. The British
R-34, which crossed the Atlantic in 1919, was an exact duplicate of the
Zeppelin L-30 type.

Zeppelin Vision of World Transport

Count Zeppelin was working on his post-war plans for commercial aerial
transport when he died in March, 1917. His latest ships had demonstrated
their worth as cargo carriers, not only in war but in peace. Before
hostilities commenced he had seen thousands of passengers carried in his
Zeppelins. An account of these operations will be found in Chapter
III.

[PLATE 21: Zeppelin Giant Seaplane Built at Potsdam Plant,
1917.

Zeppelin-Dornier Twin (Tandem) Motored All Metal Commercial
Flying Boat, 1919.]

His Will Carried Out After His Death

They had justified the inventor's faith and inspiration. He had never
abandoned his ideas of world transportation and was completing a survey
of requirements and conditions to be met when, during a flight, he
contracted inflammation of the lungs. Though mortally ill and old in
years--he was seventy-eight--Count Zeppelin held conferences in his sick
chamber, passing on to his assistants the big idea of airship
transportation. They have since continued the work where Count Zeppelin
left it. Following the funeral at Stuttgart airships dropped garlands
and wreaths of flowers on his grave, in honor of the man who had done so
much and had perfected an organization capable of performing the tasks
remaining.

The Record Flight of L-59

There is ample proof of what a modern Zeppelin can accomplish when
commercially operated and not forced to operate at the highest possible
altitude and maintain maximum speed. In November, 1917, the Zeppelin
L-59 (Plate 11) was sent to German East Africa with medicines and
ammunition for the beleaguered colonial troops. The Zeppelin was
especially prepared for the flight, all superfluous equipment, such as
bomb dropping apparatus and arma