The sun., 1919-07-09

course, the usual expenses of crews
salary. interest on the $4,000. 900 invested
In the dirigible and other factors must
be considered
A dozen American army officers Of the
lighter than air service were also very
busy at the field yesterday discussing
the question of whether the American
Congress would relent because of the
R-34s voyage and give a little more Of
the Ss5, 00o, 900 asked for army aviation
than the $26,000,000 now allotted for
this purpose. They said that after the
war ended the British Government APP
propriated 100000 for aviation.
while France has decided to spend $780,
900, 900.
In addition, they said, the United
States Is likely, unless Immediate action
is taken, to find itself without an air SER
vice of any Size Twenty-six hundred air
officers have asked to stay in the service,
but under existing legislation they must
get out not later than September.
At least one American airship officer
has ceased TO worry for time about
the army air programme. This Is Col
William Hensley, Jr.. one of the young
est Colonies in the army, wAo Is going to
Europe on the R-34 to study aviation In
England, France and the other Euro
pean countries. Col. Hensley. who is SO,
and is known to his friends as ''Scrapper
Bill" wears balloon. as well as airplane
wings. on his uniform. and can handle
both type of craft.
"It won't worry me the least bit II we
don't start till the 18th OF July" Col.
Hensley said yesterday. Thirteen lie
my lucky number. for I've always been
promoted on the thirteenth of the month.
was graduated from West Point on that
day, Joined the Thirteenth Cavalry on
the 18th of September. 1912, and stayed
Just double thirteen months with them
on the border"
Col. Hensley is the man who arranged
the meeting in 1914 between Gen. Bell
and villa then about to break with Car
ranza. He was for IA time Quartermas-
ter-General of the Philippine National
Guard but returned to this country late
in 1917 to take balloon training at Fort
Omaha, and commanded a balloon OBJ
servers school at Arcadia, near Los An
geles.
Battle Began Before Sunrise.
A battle which began long before
sunrise and did not end with the setting
sun was waged yesterday on Hampstead
plains between the giant dirisible and
its treacherous ally. the wind, and the
was probably a soul soaring and body
breaking WORK as any OF the soldiers
and sailors who took part In 1t ever
had performed. although most of them
were veterans fresh from the fields OF
France, awaiting eagerly their dis
charges at Mitchell. Hazelhurst and
Roosevelt fields.
! During the early part Of tho night, up
to about fifteen minutes after 4, the big
dirigible gave little trouble to the guards
who watched her through the night. Her
great bulk, shining with an unearthly
silver sheen under the light Of 10000
candle-power searchlights. hung motion
less and ghostly above the silent dark
ness of Roosevelt Field Twice during
the night the chill. contracting the hydro
gen within her and depriving her OF
buoyancy. caused her to sag downward
toward the field. Water ballast and, in
an extremity when the temperature
reached the low mark of 81 degrees,
gasolene, were pumped out to keep her
ahoat. From I o'clock to thick
/ fog enveloped her. The searchlights cut
white slashes OF light out OF this mist
but even their great power failed to
show distinctly the form OF the great
airship.
Then within a few minutes a brisk
wind-a wind such as an aviator would
describe with loathinS as bunny and
full of holes'-sprans up. The fog wa,
dispelled in a twinkling and at the same
time the R-34 seemed to awake. Slowly
like an elephant swaying In his chains
the airship stirred from side to side
Her tail gradually took up an up and
down motion, FIRST rising to a level with
the nose and then dipping it's fragile
length threateningly toward the ground
1t was a graceful and pleasing motion &c
gaze upon. the great bulk OF the 64C
! foot airship moving as easily as 6