The Washington herald., 1908-08-09
MAKES 4 TRIAL TRIP
Army Airship's Flight Is
Marked by Odd MiShap.
PULLEY WHEEL IS BROKEN
Spectators at AIdershOf Regard the
work OF the DfriEfbie No. L as
Entirely Satisfactory, Although
Landing After Accident in n Tree
UnmaRageabIe When Wheel Breaks.

London. Aus. Satisfactory so far
said Col Capper. with q rather tired
smile. last night, when the new army
airship. Dirigible No. 1. had been safely
housed after her first trial trip at Alder
shot
She went magnihcently,' put in an en-
thusiast by his side NO. no. said the
modest director Of military aeronautics
Don't use any superlatives- She went
smoothly. I admit. There was no -up-and-
down motion, but we are going to do
much better than this. 7 hope. We are
rot going 70 boast about her and he in
clcated with a nod the huge sausage
shaped balloon with her nose still peer
ing inQuisitively out Of her enormous cor
rugated iron shed
Yet magnificent was the expression
which could be heard OF every side when
the airship SCARED up Ike an immense
bird and sailed away with an easy. GID
ing motion right Up the wind That there
had been some difficulty in getting her 10
start was forgotten. and even when she
came down with a broken wing and had
TO BE towed back 70 the shed nothins
was said in dIsparagement.
Bad Luck. say All.
Every one agreed that Il was very had
luck The cause Of her unfortunate de-
scent was the breaking Of a pulley wheel
This caused The belt connecting the two
propellers 10 slip of. and so the "dirigi-
bic" became merely a balloon. unzteer-
able and at the mercy Of the wind
The ascent was somewhat delayed.
Twice she made false starts. The first
L..
enough The second time one of the
ropes caught in one Of the propeIlers
Each time the crowd got in the way
good deal pressing round the airship in
spite Of the Efforts Of the red-capped
mounted military police 20 keep them
back
At last. however. a good start was man
aged. and Dirigi5le No ! proved at once
that she had been well named. She an
swered beautifully 10 her helm As she
went up In the eye Of the setting sun. ex-
Carnations Of delighted admiration broke
out on every side The airship turned I'D
into the wind. then came round and soar
ed almost over Aldershot town The beat
OF her eight-cylinder motor could be heard
quite plainly.
At first there had been some difficulty
with the ignition, but row she engine
was firing regularly. and all appeared TO
~ gong very We'll Round she came
again and once more turned her head 10
windward- Gen Smfth-Dorrien. the gen
eral officer commanding al Aldershot. and
his two aids and their three ordsrllss
Ealloped toward the sheds. thinking she
would come down. But she bore round
again
The Accident.
Il seemed as II she felt she could stay
up all night but pride comes before
fall Just then the engines suddenly
stopped Al those who were hurryinz
hither and thither in motor cars. in carts.
on bicycles. or On foot trying 10 keep Up
with her. stepped dead and cazed up.
She lay quiet for a moment. then BEGAN
70 drift back. Vow appeared the unwts-
dom or not keeping he- 20 windward al
the time II that had been done. sne
would have drifted quietly down and
sighted on open ground As il was. she
came down rather awkwardly among
some trees and damaged one Of her rud-
ders-
Still. as Col Capper cheerfulIy said. fl
might have been much worse The acci-
dent TO the pulley wheel was one which
could scarcely be accounted for. The
airship was quickly taken IN tow. and
with her bag rather foppy. by reason OF
the gas let out 10 bring her down. she
was dragged back 10 the factory.