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Ba eR Rel os oe ee sa es Bee sy: | J and maintaining the valves and water ballast. There were two more men- bers of the crew so engaged, a Mr. Ludwig Knorr and Mr. Eric Spachl. Freund advised that his superior officer was Ludwig Knorr. 4 Mr. Samt was Freund's chief superior officer. Freund advised that during the trip he did not notice any- thing wrong, and to his knowledge everything was in the best of order. After the landing signals had been blown, Freund proceeded to his post at rings 62 and 47 to let down the landing line theres The ring numbers gave the meters in relation to the length of the ship. Freud advised that he remained at his posts until after the landing signals were given. The landing line at ring 62 is approximately one meter to the starboard of the center line, and the lending line at ring 7? is approximately one meter to the port of the center linee Freund had let down the landing line at ring 62 and at this time the ship had come to practically a etandstill, Freund was just ready to let out the cable at ring 47 when the accident happened. If he had gotten anyof the cable out, it was no more than a meter or twoe The landing cables were let dovm by hand through a vent in the side cof the ship which was surrounded by a bushing. The landing rope consists of a steel cable attached to the ship, and the landing end hesa Menillea rope attached with wooden cross pieces on it. The landing cable is wound on a drum and can be lengthened or shortened at will, and Freund wes unable to state whether the entire length of the eteel cable was outs. He approximated the length of the steel cable as fifteen meters. Freund advised that at ring 67 he had let out several meters of the steel cable and had not drawn any of the cable back. Although the ground was visible to Freund, it was hard to estimate the height of the ship as he was only observing the ground through a hole about a foot in diameter on the side of the ship. He thought, however, that the air- ship was approximately sixty to eighty meters above the gromd. Having let out the landing cable at ring 67 he then proceeded to ring 47, the stern landing cable and let out & small portion of this cable, which he at no time pulled back into the ship. At the time of getting the cables ready, which was about five minutes prior to letting out the cables, one of the ropes used to haul the cables from the lower fin, where they are stored during the trip, became fouled in the wires and Freund asked a colleague to free the rope. The rope was freed by merely pulling it out between the two Wires, and at this time nothing unusual occurred in clearing this cable, The cable in lowering is run through a metal eye in the outer covering _ . 1 ?— 1. we . been ee ee cme ee pt ceca ee cee eect seen acta pe ep ecg ommen ve me ene cae ever eghvevnn pe enue wei wiguines tee pe 4 name eae