New-York tribune., 1919-05-16
British Vessel
Finds Craft
Officers Mourn Loss
of Chance to Make
Flight to Europe
Neao York Tribans
Special Cable .Servics


balloon that was blown out to sea late
to-day in storm shortly after the
completion of 1,3O0-mile record nom
stop flight from Montauk, Long ISL
and, was found at 1890 o'clock
tonight by an unidentified British
steamship floating in the water eighty
miles due east of ST Johns.
The United States destroyer Ed
wards, which has been searching for
the dirigible, is proceeding to the
steamship and will bring back the ma.
chine tomorrow.
ST. JOHNS, N. F., May -15.-Disastet
overlook the big American dirigible
airship C-5 in the moment of its
triumph this afternoon A sudden gust
from the treacherous west wind that
had been steadily increasing in velocity
ever since the "blimp" completed It's
fight from Montauk Point, L. l.. tore
the giant gas bag bodily from its moor
ings and blew it far out to sea. The
disaster occurred just as the C-5 had
broken all world records for "blimp"
airships by a nonstop flight of 1900
miles
Even the combined efforts of 300
sturdy American sailors hanging on
to the drop ropes failed to hold the
big ship, and she drifted to sea with
speed that equalled her best CON
trolled voyage.
The destroyer Edwards. which was
sent out Immediately, is steaming full
speed through the stormy seas in
search of the airship with orders to
bring it down by anti-aircraft gunfre
Immediately it is sighted. Nc one is
aboard the airship.
The disaster occurred while a special
crew of mechanics was preparing the
airship for its projected flight across
the Atlantic. Lieutenant Charles G..
Little, who took charge of the dirigible
Immediately after its arrival, was in
the cockpit when the ship was torn
from its moorings.
Rip Cord Fails 20 Act
Lieutenant Little pulled the rip cord,
which Is designed to tear open the gas
compartments and dofate the big bal
loon. The cord broke in his hand.
Then as the ship shot upward he
sprang to the top of the cockpit and
lcaped to the ground.
Two mechanics, Boyne and Lynch.
who had been in the nacelle with Lieu
tenant Little, jumped before the air
ship broke adrift, and landed unin-
jured.
The arship had been making heavy
weather throughout the afternoon,
straining severely at her moorings un-
der the continuous lashing of the
growing wind Several times the off,
GERS working on her considered the
advisability of placing her crew aboard,
cutting her loose and letting her as:
cend above the zone of the heavy wind,
where she could have ridden the storm
in safety. 1t was through unwilling
ness to arouse the weary regular crew
from their much needed rest that this
plan was not adopted.
Gale Bullets Craft
At Sis o'clock the wind suddenly
shifted and became much stronger.
The heavy gusts striking the huge
area of the balloon dashed the car
and its motors to the ground, while
every iuli in the storm enabled the
balloon TO raise the car again.
The men straining on the ropes were
all thrown to the ground as the air.
ship was torn out of their grasp, but
none was injured. Even Lieutenant
Little escaped from his desperate jump
with slightly sprained ankle.
The ship had risen scarcely hun
dred feet when word was flashed to
the station ship, U. S. S. Chicago. Or
ders were given to the destroyer Ed
wards, which had just arrived at this
port, and ten lighter than air aviation
experts were sent aboard. The de-
stroyer started out immediately under
forced draft to follow the airship aud
bring it down. When last reported the
4.