Norwich bulletin., 1919-07-14

Pullman, Norfolk. England, July 13.-
 By A. P.)-Great Britain's mammoth
 transatlantic air pioneer. the dirigi-
 bIe R-S4. arrived at the air station
 here Ut 6-56 o'clock, Greenwich mean
 time. tDday, completing her round trip
 from the British Isles to the United
 States and return.
 The R-34 poked her nose out of the
 clouds northeast of this village and,
 after circIing the flying field three
 times. glided gently to the ground and
 ten minutes later was housed in the
 Island was without particular incid-
 ent and was completed in approxi-
 mateiy 75 hours.
 Soon after daybreak 400 men sta-
 tioned at the airdrome were reused
 from their sleep to prepare for the
 landing of the transatlantic Voyager.
 Iookouts took position in towers and
 w1relss operators prepared to pick up
 messages from the airship. The sun
 rose bright, but soon afterward was
 obscured by clouds. There was no
 wind and those on watch were con-
 hdent that the dirigible would arrive
 on time
 Shouts from those on the field greet
 ed the first sight of the long gray body low on the horizon As the R-34 ap- preached the field, she dropped from a height Of 5000 feet to 2,000 feet The men who were to aid the airship in landing were ordered to their positions ana waited silently as the Shipp clrcled the field dropping lower and lower.
 When Major G. H. Scott her com mander. held manoeuvered the air ship into position for the landing the water ballast was thrown overheard 10 steady her and a rope was thrown from the bow The rope was grasped by eager hands and the giant ship moved gently across the field to the shed where the delicate operation of berthing her was completed quickly without accident
 The tired. unshaven, but smiling men who composed her crew quickly climbed from the gondola and were greeted warmly and with many slaps on the back by the officers and sol diers gathered Jn the field.
 The voyage home has been without incident said Major Scott We
 After breakfast and while enjoying the belated luxury of his little black pipe smoking not being permitted on i the airship, Major Scott told the story | or the return flight
 I've estfm afed we would make it in I rom 70 10 80 hours" he said Me i made # in 15- When we left we had i, q strong wind behind us and we cover | ed the first 800 miles in about eight | hours When we circled over New York we could plainly see the crowds | on Broadway waving to us as we | passed. but we could not hear them | because Of the noise of the engines |
 South of Newfoundland we en- eountered head winds and our progress from then on was slower. We travel | ed at an average height of from 5000 | 10 5000 feet and found much low clouds and fog Once we saw noth- i ing but fog for 24 hours.
 We struck Ireland at Clifden and l made good progress from there al- l though our steering engine broke down Saturday morning We started with | z.soo gallons of gasoline and had 1000 l left
 We are naturally pleased with the trip, all of us I expect important | changes in the size and speed of | future airships. big ships that will | travel 70 to 80 miles an hour and | powerful enough to crawl through any thing"
 This has been a great trip" said Colonel w N. Hensley, Jr, of the | United States army air service as he | climbed out of the car and shook | hands with the British officers We were lost one whole day because the fog was so thick we could not get a shot at the sun, moon, stars or hori- zon, but we worked out of it and struck the Irish coast We passed over the Isle of Man about three o'clock this morning.
 We soon passed over Liverpool and then other cities and towns and here we are We suffered no hardships and l no inconveniences except that we had no hot water for shaving. Our eggs were cooked in the exhaust of the en- zines and we had plently of other good food and coffee, tea and coca 10 drink No one suffered from air sickness and while the sea below was tossed by a forty mile gale we were moving along in comfort on an aven keel
 Regular airship service between Europe and America is bound to come and soon"
 The members of the crew were eagerly surrounded by friends who were waiting at the airdrome. George Graham the chief engineer proudly carried his pet kitten which was born al East Fortune The kitten suffered no inconvenience during the trip and manifested it's delight on reaching land again by jumping on the backs of it's friends
 We were never out of touch with the world although we met a lot of log" said Lieutenant R. D. Durrant- the wireless officer @It was hot in I New York, cold in the middle Atlantic . and you see what it is here. We , signalled two ships. the Cumberland I azked us who we were we said that | <e were British airship from New ( Fork to England Their wireless ' operator expressed surprise. They had Cno~ about us.''
 Brigzdier General F. M Maitland. he representative of the air ministry |. 'n the R-34. who kept the log of the -oraEe, said: !
 We were sent by the air ministry I O demonstrate that airships can do long sea voyage with the ultimate : FieE of their commercial use later | Airships undoubtedly will be used in 5 he future over sea and over land ' They vii mot conflict in any way with U he airplzne or seaplane, but all will york together. The airship will gol n long voyages. while the other f1iers fiH rzdia1e for short distances from he a1rsfip termini e Our reception in America was ex- [ The people there inn a ressed with out voyage fully realize u irship- It was wonderful sight as il he commercial possibility of the big \ re passed over the great electric signs T