Arizona republican., 1919-07-07
General Maitland, Official Observer, Chronicles the Principal Events of Big Human Gamble with the Elements
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

Republican A. p. Leased Wire]
 MINEOLA, x. Y, July 6.-Not in the record of miles covered is to be found the real romance of the R-34s aerial voyage to America. The full story of this great adventure, the gamble against the clements, is re- vealed only through the human incl dents of the trip, chronicled in the form of log by Brigadier General Edward M Maitland, official observer for the British air ministry.
 This story, a Jules Verne tale come true, was written while the giant dir igible was leaving the ground at East Fortune, Scotland, while it was pass ing out of sight of land, while it was battling it's way across the Atlantic and eluding electrical storms in the northland. while it was slipping safely down the shore line of Long Island to it's anchorage at Mineola.
 It is an intensely human story, set down in simple, unaffected style. But it is doubtful if the greatest master of English could paint a more vivid picture.
 Thrilling Experiences Told In it is described the feelings of men starting on a great adventure ) cheerful confident in the face of a
 hundred dangers. In it is described
 the ge of red blooded men fight 7 ing their way. through an ocean of cloud and fog In it is described the
 reSolute daring of men calculating coolly just how much fuel. already ! greatly shortened, they could expend in lodging tempests which might dash l them to destruction. In it is described the fighting spirit of aeral adventure ] combating to the last situation 5 which might force them to call for as ) sistance But nothing is to be found
 in the log of the great joy which must D have surged up in every mans heart , when they dropped anchor victorious | ! ly-safe at the end of a 3,600mile voy- ' age.
 : The story told in the log follows f Distances covered were as follows:
 East Fortune to Trinity Bay. N. F.
 2.05o sea miles; Trinity Bay, N. F., tc
 New York, 1,0S0 sea miles.
 Originally Planned for June
 Tt was originally intended that thi:
 flight should have taken place at tho
 beginning of June, but owing to thu r uncertainty of the Germans signins ' the peace terms, the British admiralt, decided to detain her for an extended
 
 German coast line. This flight occu
 pied 56 hours under adverse weathe
 conditions. during which time an ai
 distance of roughly 1000 miles wa rs covered.
 l. At the conclusion of this flight tn y ship was taken over from the admir- a alty by the air ministry and the air J. ship was quickly overhauled for tn re journey to the United States o 1t America
 le "The date and time of sailing de l. cided upon was a. m. on the morn ,n ing of Wednesday. July 2, and tn to press representatives were notified b. s. the air ministry to be at East Forum h. the day previous
 Is At 1:30 a. m Wednesday, July ,n the airship was taken out from he ,g shed and actually took the air 12 min nt utes later, thus starting on her lon ri voyage exactly IS minutes in advanc 10 of scheduled time.''
 Iy The story of the flight as entered i
 the log follows:
 ,s '1:42 a. m.. Wednesday, July ?: m Night Flying Is Lonesome al 'The RIA slowly arose from tn
 hands of the landing party and wa
 completely swallowed up in the low
 lying clouds at a height of 100 fee
 When flying at night, possibly on ac
 count of the darkness, there is alway
 feeling of loneliness. immediatel rt after leaving the ground. The loneli l. ness of this occasion was accentuate z- by the faint cheers of the landin ,s party coming upwards through th O. mist, after all signs of the earth ha m disappeared.
 ss "The airship rose rapidly to 1,500 fee a1,1 F. s1, +I at low-lying clouds and headed straigl TIT up the Firth of Forth toward Edir re burgh.
 "A few minutes after 2 o'clock u
 lights of Rosyth showed up throus
 the clouds, thus proving brilliant
 that the correct allowance had bee M made for the force and direction the wind. which was 20 miles per ho,
 from the east.
 FUEL SERVES AS BALLAST SC ''It should be borne in mind tn " when an airship sets out on a Tor re distance voyage carrying her ma. l. mum allowance of petrol she can on cy rise to a limited height at the outs C. without throwing some of it overhoa he as ballast and that as the airship pr or ceeds on her voyage she can, if ns desired, gradually increase her heig N as the petrol is consumed by the e He zine.
 id An airship of this type, when mo i'd of her petrol is consumed. can rise ti- a height of about 14,000 feet.
 For this reason the next few hou
 were one of the most anxious perio D during the flight for Major Scott, t
 captain of the ship. who. owing to [
 large amount of petrol carried (49
 gallons. weighing 15.S tons). had 7 keep the ship as low as possible a
 at the same time pass over north- II Scotland where the hills rise to H. height of over 5000 feet. on Air Navigation Difficult 'tn Owing to the stormy nature of ch morning, the ship at 1500 feet-t . height at which the ship was traveli ,o- was most disturbed and bumpy
 to the wind being bI oken up by { pi mountains to the north, causing viole ss, @ wind currents and air pockets. -,ie 'The most disturbed conditions W. , -ne met in the mouth of the Clyde, SOU -ie of Locn Lomond, which, surrounded high mountains. looked particula iiE beautiful nthe gray dawn light. ,ia ,ii ''The islands at the mouth of [ 'n s Firth of Clyde were quickly pass ,h 1 The north coast of Ireland appear 'H for time and shortly afterwal
 faded away as we headed out into {
 Atlantic.
 The various incidents of the voya Iis- are set down quite simply as they ay cured and more or less in the form the a diary. No attempt has been ma ing to write them as connected sto
 It is felt that, by recording each in