In June, 1908, the great “Zeppelin IV” was completed and given its preliminary trials, and on July 1 it started on its first long journey. Leaving Friedrichshafen, its route was along the northerly shore of Lake Constance nearly to Schaffhausen, then southward to and around Lake Lucerne, thence northward to Zurich, thence eastward to Lake Constance, and to its shed at Friedrichshafen. The distance traversed was 236 miles, and the time consumed 12 hours. This voyage without a single mishap aroused the greatest enthusiasm among the German people. After several short flights, during which the King of Württemberg, the Queen, and some of the royal princes were passengers, the Zeppelin IV set out on August 4 to win the Government reward by making the 24-hour flight. Sailing eastward from Friedrichshafen it passed over Basle, then turning northward it followed the valley of the Rhine, passing over Strasburg and Mannheim, and had nearly reached Mayence when a slight accident necessitated a landing. Repairs were made, and the journey resumed after nightfall. Mayence was reached at 11 P. M., and the return trip begun. When passing over Stuttgart, at 6 A. M., a leak was discovered, and a landing was made at Echterdingen, a few miles farther on. Here, while repairs were being made, a squall struck the airship and bumped it heavily on the ground. Some gasoline was spilled, in some unknown way, which caught fire, and in a few moments the great balloon was totally destroyed. It had been in continuous flight 11 hours up to the time of the first landing, and altogether 20¾ hours, and had travelled 258 miles. The German people immediately started a public subscription to provide Count von Zeppelin with the funds needed to build another airship, and in a few days the sum of $1,500,000 was raised and turned over to the unfortunate inventor. The “Zeppelin III” was taken in hand, and lengthened, and more powerful engines installed. The “Gross II” was ready to make its attempt for the Government prize on September 11, 1908. It sailed from Tegel to Magdeburg and back to Tegel, a distance of 176 miles, in 13 hours, without landing. [Illustration: The Clement-Bayard dirigible entering its shed.] Four days later the “Parseval II” made a trip between the same points in 11½ hours, but cut the distance travelled down to 157 miles. In October, the “Parseval II” was sent up for an altitude test, and rose to a height of 5,000 feet above Tegel, hovering over the city for upward of an hour. During 1908, an airship designed by M. Clement, the noted motor-car builder, was being constructed in France. It made its first voyage on October 29, carrying seven passengers from Sartrouville to Paris and back, at a speed of from 25 to 30 miles per hour. The illustration gives a very good idea of the peculiar ballonnets attached to the rear end of the gas envelope. These ballonnets open into the large gas-bag, and are practically a part of it.