Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-24
R.4 MAY come this WEEK
Field For British Dlrlglble Not Ready
Last Sunday.
AIR CRAFT Is GAO FEET LONG
Has Maximum Diameter of 79 Feet
Carries Five Engines-WiIl Lift FIT.
ty-nine Tons-Thirty Persons to
Make Overseas Trip.

ty-nine Tons-Thirty Persons te
Make Overseas Trip.
The giant British dirigible R-34
which is coming to this country at the
invitation of the United States navy
will arrive the latter part Of next week.
says a Mineola, L. l., dispatch OF June
IS, if weather conditions are favorable
instead of coming Sunday as originally
scheduled, according to an announce
ment made today by Lieut.. Colonel
Frederick w. Lucas Of the Royal All
Force, who Is in charge Of the arrange
ments for her arrival.
Colonel Lucas explained that ar
rangements for the aircrafts arrival
on Roosevelt Field here will not be
completed before Sunday and may take
until Tuesday. AS soon as. they are
ready a cablegram will be sent to the
commander of the airship, which is
stationed at East Fortune, near Edin-
burgh, Scotland, and the start will be
made at the first favorable opportunity
thereafter.
Colonel Lucas said the trip across
would take between two and one-half
and three days. 1t is estimated that
adverse winds Of an average velocity OF
sixteen miles an hour will be encoun-
tered, and that an average speed OF
thirty eight miles an hour will be made
against them. The airship is equipped
with five Sunbeam motors, two Of $50
horse power, and three Of 35 horse
power, capable Of developing a maxi
mum speed Of 63.5 nautical miles an
hour.
American naval officials began the
construction Of a radio station here TO-
day to keep in touch with the dirigible
when 1t ne'rs the coast. The medium
of the set to be installed will be 25O
miles.
Dimensions and specifications OF the
giant craft were made public today by
Colonel Lucas. The length Of the air
ship Is GAO feet, or about the size OF
some of the largest trans-A Atlantic lin
ers, and its maximum diameter Is 79
feet. The dirigible is 90 feet high
Five cars, each about 25 feet long, are
suspended from the rigid frame, and
a deck nearly 600 feet connects them.
One Of the engines Is in the forward
car and one each in the four side cars.
It is intended to utilize only three en-
gines on the way over Colonel Lucas
said, and to keep two in reserve In
case unusually strong winds are en-
countered Pusher type propellers are
used Oh all engines. The airship will
carry 15 tons of gasoline, which 1t is
estimated will give a cruising radius
of 1900 nautical miles.
Colonel Lucas explained the wind
currents along the route are not defl-
nitely known, and that the object In
keeping two engines in reserve Is to
guard against any possible adverse
winds that may be encountered. All
available data show that at the altitude
Of 1000 feet, at which the dirigible ex-
poets to fly, winds Of 16 miles average
velocity will be encountered under nor
NAL weather conditions. A carefully
prepared chart, similar to those used
by transatlantic ships except that 1t
indicates wind currents instead of sea
currents, has been prepared by Brit
ish meteorological experts and furnish
ed to the crews commander. 1t is
hoped to obtain valuable meteorologi-
cal data during the flight.
The total lifting capacity Of the dir
igible is fifty-nine tons, Of which twen-
ty-one and one-half tons is the dis
chargeable lift Of the airship, or the
amount of weight that can be disposed
of from the craft. This dischargeable
weight includes that of the passengers
and crew, gasoline, oil, and other ma
terial that could be dropped over the
side if necessary. The envelope OF the
dirigible is made of a special fabric
painted a silver color, as experience
shows that color best reflects the rays
of the sun and lessons the expansion
of the gas.
Colonel Lucas said the dirigible
would fly a direct northernly course
from Scotland to the United States,
first sighting land somewhere near
New York. if normal weather con-
ditions prevailed throughout the flight
A more southernly course may be taken
if bad weather is encountered.
Thirty persons, including four pas
sengers, will be carried. Major Her
bert Scott of the Royal Air force is
in command of the craft, which is
manned by four officers and twenty
two enlisted men. Brig. Gen. Edward
NJ. Maitland will make the trip as a
representative of the British Air Min
istry. Lieutenant Zachary Lansdowne
is coming on the craft as a representa-
tive Of the American navy.
4 double crew will be used on the
craft, sleeping accommodations being
provided for nalf the members at the
same time. An electric stove will be
carried and meals for the passengers
ana crew VIII Dc SOOhSu VII bSeei VI
Members of the crew will alternate on
four-hour shifts.
Dispatches from London under date
of Thursday, stated that it was prob
able that in the event Of failure Of the
Germans to sign the peace treaty, II
would be necessary to postpone the
proposed trip Of the R-34 to America
and send the airship to Germany load
ed with bombs to assist the Allied
army in the invasion of Germany
However the matter Of the proposed
American trip had not been definitely
settled.
The formation.-Another plant
| formerly operated as a brewery has
been sold. The Farmers Cooperative