raft
proved to be perfectly manageable in the air, and answered her helm,
thus complying with the terms of dirigibility. The creator was flushed
with his triumph, but at the same time was doomed to experience
misfortune. In its descent the airship came to "earth" with such a shock
that it was extensively damaged. The cost of repairing the vessel was
so heavy that the company declined to shoulder the liability, and as the
Count was unable to defray the expense the wreck was abandoned.

Although a certain meed of success had been achieved the outlook seemed
very black for the inventor. No one had any faith in his idea. He made
imploring appeals for further money, embarked upon lecturing campaigns,
wrote aviation articles for the Press, and canvassed possible supporters
in the effort to raise funds for his next enterprise. Two years passed,
but the fruits of the propaganda were meagre. It was at this juncture,
when everything appeared to be impossible, that Count Zeppelin
discovered his greatest friend. The German Emperor, with an eye ever
fixed upon new developments, had followed Zeppelin's uphill struggle,
and at last, in 1902, came to his aid by writing a letter which ran:--

"Since your varied flights have been reported to me it is a great
pleasure to me to express my acknowledgment of your patience and your
labours, and the endurance with which you have pressed on through
manifold hindrances till success was near. The advantages of your system
have given your ship the greatest attainable speed and dirigibility, and
the important results you have obtained have produced an epoch-making
step forward in the construction of airships and leave laid down a
valuable basis for future experiments."

This Imperial appreciation of what had been accomplished proved to be
the turning point in the inventor's fortunes. It stimulated financial
support, and the second airship was taken in hand. But misfortune still
pursued him. Accidents were of almost daily occurrence. Defects were
revealed here and weaknesses somewhere else. So soon as one trouble was
overcome another made itself manifest. The result was that the whole of
the money collected by his hard work was expended before the ship
could take to the air. A further crash and blasting of cherished hopes
appeared imminent, but at this moment another Royal personage came to
the inventor's aid.

The King of Wurtemberg took a personal interest in his subject's uphill
struggle, and