airship in conformity with existing Zeppelin construction. The
first proposals were put forward in 1913, and, finally, after
eleven months delay, the contract was signed. This airship, it
has been seen, was designated No. 9.

No. 9 experienced numerous vicissitudes, during the process of
design and later when construction was in progress. The contract
having been signed in March, 1914, work on the ship was suspended
in the following February, and was not recommenced until July of
the same year. From that date onwards construction was carried
forward; but so many alterations were made that it was fully
eighteen months before the ship was completed and finally
accepted by the Admiralty.

The ship as designed was intended "to be generally in conformity
with existing Zeppelin construction," with the following main
requirements stipulated for in the specification:

1. She was to attain a speed of at least 45 miles per hour at the
full power of the engines.

2. A minimum disposable lift of five tons was to be available for
movable weights.

3. She was to be capable of rising to a height of 2,000 feet
during flight.

The design of this ship was prepared by Messrs. Vickers, Ltd.,
and as it was considered likely that owing to inexperience the
ship would probably be roughly handled and that heavy landings