New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-16
WELLMAN STARTS
FOR EUROPE
Twenty-four Miles from New
York Last Night, After
Days Trip.
GALL WELL" HIS REPORT
Big Dirigible America Keeps IN
Touch with Land by
Wireless at Brief
Intervals.

After long delays. Wh1cn mad race
many persons skeptical. Walter Well
man. Of Chicago. with his intrepid crew.
sailed away from Atlantic City through
the air yesterday morning IN an effort
TO reach Europe in the dfrigtble balloon
America.
The start was accomplished in dense
fog. but under weather conditions which
Melvin vaniman. the chief engineer OF
the expedition. described as the most
favorable that could be desired
Leaving Atlantic City a minute or 50
after 5 o'clock in the morning. the party.
after experiencing some slight motor
trouble. sailed along the coast through
the fog all day, and at $50 D m the
America was reported five miles south
east of the Scotland Lightsf1ip. approx
mateIy eighty miles from the starting
point Speed had been reduced 20 fifteen
miles an hour. and everything was re-
ported 20 be shipshape-
Since the machinery has been going
steadily. fifteen knots seems 20 have
been the average speed maintained
though ar earlier dispatch said the
America was being driven az a rate OF
fifteen miles. Provided this rate IS
maintained the dirigtble should make
$50 knots. or 40 miles a day
II the coast line is followed The next
report should come from somewhere on
the southern Long Island coast Nan
tucket- Mass. Sable Island, OF the coast
of Nova Scotia. and finally Cape Race.
the easternn1ost point OF Newfoundland
are other stations from which news OF
the America may be expected
Cane Race is $50 miles from Sable
Island and LOO miles from Atlantic
City. It is Just possible, however, that
the air navigators may strike out rom
the coast straight for Nova Scotia thus
cutting OF considerable distance from
the coastwise route
Some alarm was expressed IN WIRE
less message during the afternoon when
the America picked up warning %
uavfgators that a hurricane was COM
ing I'D the coast from Cuba. but the
weather Bureau at Washington issued
/ reassuring statement TO the effect mat
| the storm would not reach the open sea
until Tuesday. II az all
/ High homes are entertained by the
/ friends Of the doughty air nav1gators
that their voyage will prove an epoch N
the annals Of transatlantic travel Both
Mrs. We1lran and Mrs Vaninan. who
are at Atlantic City. said last night that
they were absolutely sure their nus
bands would be successful IN their diff
/ cult enterprise
Confidence in Success
| Joseph ". SaIus. president OF the syn
6icate which is financing the enterprise.
expressed equal faith in wireless mes
sage which he sent 70 the venturesor1e
travellers when il became apparent that
what had been scheduled as a trial trip
was converted into an attempt 10 dash
across the ocean through the air
WeIlman was exceedingly chagrined oy
the adverse criticism which his long de-
Law had aroused in newspapers all over
the country. and in an interview last
night at Atlantic City his wife echoed
his sentiments
For the newspapers which nave peen
so cruel" she said. II can take consola-
ton in the fact that before they thought
men could fly they bounded poor Old
Langley into his grave. and all Francs
rang with denunCtation OF Wilbur
Wright the morning he first took the
air. Mr. Wellman did not let the news
papers crowd him out in weather that
was not the kind he needed. and did not
delav past the hour that such weather
prevailed
II am not worrying know how pa
10,
been worked out 70 DO the things eI-
pected OF it. 7 have no fear of the
outcome"
Mrs. vaninan. wife OF WeIInan's
partner in the enterprise. was equally
confident
Mrs. Vsnirran Not Worried.
I'm not anxious she said. I'm go
ing 10 have a good sleep tonight and
get ready for Melvin's message asking
me 70 Join him somewhere in Europe.
pr~ badly France We have our factory
near Paris. and II is 20 that we VIII
turn as soon as this trip is over. for
Melvin's predominating hope is 20 re-
habiHtate the dirigible TO the place from
which aeroplaues have been crowdins
II. and 10 demonstrate that II is 20 De
tbe liner OF the air. Melvin believes the
dirigibIe will prove the real airship for
large tasks
The start OF the trip came as sur
prfsA 70 the people OF Atlantic City. yet
f,,uv a thousand persons witnessed the
getaway. and thousands OF others
crowded the pier and waterfront, trying
2, ref a sight of IL aloft or to hear
s.,v,,erbins OF the wireless messages tnac
,-a-. being received at the wireless sta
ton at that point
When sighted BY the Coamo. OF the
New York and Porto Rico Steamship
COMPANY. inward bound. the America
as within txenty-fOur miles or View
work. CITY and apparently continuing her
-,,,rzA IN the Atlantic Coast. headed
northeast. with the British Isles as her
objective point.
The America was about a quarter Of
a mill. away when sighted by the Coarno.
and was very near the water. The
operator In the balloon flashed the
Coamo's operator that all was well and
they were making fine progress.
From Sandy Hook. four miles north
west of Scotland Lightship. TO AbsecOun
Light. at Atlantic city. is eishty-two
.v,f1as so thar Mailman had travelled