The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-07
R.34 STARTS
TUESDAY FOR
RETURN TRIP
OVER OCEAN
Giant Dirigible Reaches Long
Island Sunday After Battle
With Elements-400 SOL
diers Stand Guard.
WILL HEAD FOR spain
(eULLETlN)
(By Associated PresS)

was torn from her mooring rope this
morning by a violent gust or wind.
The cross girder to which the rope
was attached broke under the strain,
ripping a hole six feet by three feet
in the gas bag. The giant dir1gible
was saved from being blown away by
800 men who seized the ropes hanging
from her sides and held her down with
great difficulty.
Major G.. H. Scott announced def
nitely at noon the R-34 would start on
it's return journey at 5 o'clock tomor-
row morning, flying over Boston. The
R-34 will not circle New York before
turning east, he said.
Major Scott announced later that an
effort would be made to shape the
R-34s course so that it would pass
over the George Washington which is
bringing President Wilson home.
MINEOLA, l.. l., July 7-On her re-
turn trip to her base in Scotland, the
British dirtgible R-34 will take the
southern course, leaving the United
States at some middle Atlantic port
and heading directly for Spain. This
announcement and the further state
ment that the giant airship would
here at 8 o'clock tomorrow (Tuesday)
morning on her homeward flight were
definitely decided upon last night by
Major G.. H. Scott, commander OF the
dirigible.
At a conference with Lieutenant
Col Frederick Lucas Of the Royal Air
forces advance party, and Brigadier-
General Edward NJ. Maitland, the Of
ficial observer at noon today the re-
quest of the United States navy de-
partment that the R-34 make flight
over New York city, Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Washington was to be
considered. II weather conditions are
favorable it is expected that these
cities and possibly other cities OF the
middle Atlantic section may get a
glimpse Of the giant airship.
Weather Reports Meager.
In order to relieve the four hundred
soldiers of the seventh United States
balloon company, who were stratning
at the anchor ropes Of the R-34 dur
ing an electrical and wind storm last
night the big bag was raised to OBJ
viate the danger of damage from wind.
During this operation a rope releasing
water ballast from an aft compartment
was released by accident and the rear
Of the bag shot up into the air to an
altitude of some 400 feet, while her
nose was only 200 feet above the field.
The R.34 remained in this position
throughout the night and caused Ma
jor Scott to return to the field early
today to distribute the water ballast
in the bag to bring her to an even keel
again. Adjustments of the ballast had
to be accomplished before the heat of
~ IN hn 1oe fN
expand.
The officers OF the crew who scat
tered soon after their arrival yester
day to nearby hotels and to New York
were ordered to report at II a. m. to-
til l o'clock. Other members OF the
crew who remained here last night
explained that the failure Of the R-34
to receive proper weather reports
caused her to run into two storms
off Newfoundland. The weather re
ports picked up were from the vicin
ity of the Azores islands while those
from the North Atlantic region were
very meager. With reports telling o.
the storm area some 200 miles north
by northeast OF Newfoundland the r
"a, It was said, would have altered
her course to north of the circle OF
wind and proceeded over northern
Newfoundland and the Nova Scott;
coast and thereby would have avoided
the storm between Newfoundland anC
Nova Scotia
Crowds See Air Monster.
A weather report received at the
field from Washington early toda!
said:
THE weather will become clear b,
Monday morning and remain clea
during succeeding 4S hours. Wine
will be west and northwest, steady
and will not exceed twenty miles pc
hour Advise probable time of re
turn trip so that forecast can be mad
accordingly"
All persons other than those OF
duty in the Immediate vicinity of tn
R-34 were ordered from the field
about o'clock last night and a guar
was set about the air monster. Wis
itors who thronged the outer fell
some 200 yards from the airship pal,
no heed to the rain and mud to ge
a glimpse Of her Automobile partie
left the dry enclosures of their ma
chimes and in many instances fashion
ably gowned women disregarded pos
sible injury to their clothing to Sc
the first dirigible to cross the Altar
tic. Even after dark autoists cor
tinued to arrive. as did cyclists an
pedestrians. Visitors were permitte
on the field outside the 200 yard limit
again today and from the large nun
ber of early arrivals even create
crowds than yesterday were expecte
during the day.
Petrol Supply Low.
The R-34 was anchored safely a
Roosevelt flying field at 1890 a. n
today.
When the R-34 arrived here she ha
only gasoline enough left to carry he
ninety minutes longer. The suppl
which she took on before her star
and which was believed to be ampl
GContinued on Page Eleven).