20 OCTOBER 1928, Page 3

The Graf Zeppelin,' the latest and largest of the German

airships, has crossed the Atlantic in four and a half days. A common comment- on this performance is that it would be safer and far more comfortable to take five days in the Mauretania.' That, however, is rather unfair. Admittedly the airship is still in the experi- mental stage, but there are impressive Expects of the Graf Zeppelin's ' voyage. The weather along the shortest route was so bad that the Commander made an unusually wide circuit. That it is possible to dodge the weather is a point in favour of the airship well worth considering. Then the Zeppelin unfortunately had a serious mishap to her port horizontal. This was repaired while she was under way, though it caused much loss of time.

* *