The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-19
Then, Rising, Makes Re-
turn Trip to Avia-
ton Field.
FEAT PERFORMED
BY EUGENE B. ELY
Leaving Field, He Flies Thirteen
Miles to Where Fleet Lies at
Anchor and Drops Lightly
to the Pennsylvania With
out Displacing Wire of
His Machine.

"ah FRANCISCO, Cal. January ls-
Eugene Is. Ely to-day iiew thirteen
miles in an aeropiane made a success.
iul landing on the cruiser PENNSYLVANIA.
and an hour later rose from The cruig.
er and ilew back 10 Selfridge Field.
tweiNc miles south OF San Francisco.
ING :eat was accomplished without
'niahap Not wire or bolt of the bi
plane was injured.
II was easy enough" said Ely. az
ne stepped from his seat after Ills re
turn and was seized by the cheering
soldiers OF the Thiriicth Infantry ana
hoisted 10 their shoulders
IL was lo:i5 o'clock when Ely lott
the aviation grounds. Ills motor
worked perfectly. and after a few cir
cies he headed northeast, swept over
the Sdnburnc Hills and Disappeared to-
wards san Francisco
Prcpnrc 10 Receive Him.
In the meantime the wireless advised
the cruiser. at anchor with the ncet In
the bay. that ne would make the al
tempt. and final preparations were
made Tor his reception. y wooden plat
form, 1870 feet long ana My feet wide
had been constructed over the after
deck OF the ship. 1t sloped gently an.
and across the hoor were stretched
ropes. with l00-pound snndbags made
fast at either end. These Mere de-
lower framework OF the bipiamc .As
further ptccau,ion, canvas barrier
Was stretched across the forward emu
% tie platform Launches ara shin.
boats, fully manned, were put out, IN
event OF misnap. Ely had installed
TWO seven-foot pontoUnh unocr his
aeroplanc, to float the machine IN case
lac were forced 10 descend Oh the wa
ter and forward lie mad built &; hydro
llnne 10 keep tn. neropIanc from diving
In the water
At 1855 o'clock the lookout on tile
cruiser Pennsylvania sighted Ely
through the maze, and The ships siren
ioared a blast 81 welcome lie came on
ut a terrific speed ANA circcd around
the fleet. dipping in salute TO each ship.
and came UP In the wind for the stern
Of the Pennsylvania.
lie Was lying low as he neareG the
ship, and dropped down lightly strik-
Ing The platform abou, ninety feet
IRON the inner end. The hooks on the
ecroplane caught the ropes and stopped
The biplanc within sixty feet
when Ely touched the deck lie was
soaring about th!rty-il five miles an hour,
but SO gradually was the speed checked
by the dragging OF the weighted ropes,
as they We're caught In succession, that
he came TO a standstill without disar-
ranging any part OF the machine.
outburst OF Cheers.
There was Il great outburst OF cheers
and rush OF the officers. visitors and
sailors 10 greet the aviator. one Of the
rrst 10 reach Ely was mis- wife. who
was on the bridge with Captain Bond.
Exactly one hour from the time he
landed on the cruiser. Ely took his seat
in the machine and gave the word TO
let go. The aeroplauc swept down the
130- foot platform at high speed, dropped
off the stern with gentle dip. and
then rose rapidly over the ships in the
harbor.
Rising to a height of 1000 feet. Ely
eiroled over San Francisco and then
headed for the aviation field. He land
ed there at 1913 o'clock.
The cruisers wireless advised the
field officers OF Ely's departure and
they were ready for him 4 full COM
pany of the Thirtieth Infantry
swooped down oil him MS he dismountcd
and bore him in triumph to Major
O'Neili's tent The other troops were
lined up to cheer the aviator. An in
formal reception in the majors tent
followed.
Among the guests aboard the cruiser
We're -Admirals Milton and Reese
both retired. and each OF them said
that Elys feat demonstrated beyond
doubt the utility OF the ueropiane in
naval affairs.
tho aviation meet, and the military
had Il prominent part In the program
General Taskcr ii. Bliss. commanding
the department OF California. attended
with his stan in full dress uniform
Several foreign sonsuls general, sta
toned In San Francisco also were pre-
sent.
4 Military Problem.
An interesting military problem in
volving the use of the aeroplanc for
scout service was worked out.
y sham battle was fought force
supposed TO be advancing on city
drove back the defenscs outposts and
obtained possession of Selfridge field
In front of the grandstand Il wireless
tower was erected Aviator Charles T.
Willard in II biplane equipped with a
wireless instrument, assembled to as
certain the position of The cnlrcnched
enemy" and the city" fortIicntions
The experiment was TO determine
whether wireless message could be
received and read by the Aviator. Ac-
cording to Willard, he had no difficulty
In making out the simple cipher mes,
sage. which was To turn to tho left and
descend This hc did