New-York tribune., 1919-07-07
Ocean Hidden
From the R-34
Most of Trip
Continued from page 8

water. l say water because that is
ell one can see. / have had three
hours sleep and feel tophole ready
for most anything.
They are now preparing the mid
day meal-cold roast beef, cold pota-
toes, bread, cheese and chocolate. We
were to have had beefsteak, but the
cookers, are stopped for general ad
justments, so we are taking cold lunch
instead.
"The novelty of this fight has passed
now and one has settled down in quiet
determination to get there We have
a chart hanging in the crew space,
marked every nine to twelve hours by
the navigator, Major Cooke. The crew
can then see where we are.
Gust had tea at O'Clock. with Gen
eral Maitland, Majors Scott and Cooke
and Lieutenant Harris. The topic of
conversation, of course, was when we
should cross the coast, thereby being
the first to do SO from east to west.
Zone realizes how awfully lucky
Hawker and Grieve were to be picked
up by the steamboat, considering they
had been looking for one only about
thirty minutes with defective engine.
We have not seen "a ship of any kind
| since leaving the north of Ireland.
"One forty-five Friday morning-We
appear to be making good headway and
we are said to have crossed the coast,
but cannot verify this, owing to the
fog.
Nights Seem Endless
~ am looking for dawn. The night
time is endless and the crew seems
more fit for sleep than for work. I
always mean my own engine crew when
| say crew The riggers don't come
into contact with me with the excep-
tion of meal times.
"The pilots car looks very miserable
at present. No lights except chart
lamps. We had one of the riggers'
crew sick for a few hours, but he
seems o. X. now. have scarcely time
to write these notes. There is always
something awaiting attention. Engi
neer of one Of these ships is indeed
lively way Of earning ones living. l
often wonder why l do it--much more
excitement driving taxicab.
Just had shock. Opened the engine
room window. 1t is q large affair. Two
men can lean out. I looked out and
saw another engine room opposite and
My heart beats frantically.
"Only the reflection from q close
bank of very thick white fog. You get
extraordinary sights up here in this
beastly fog-uncanny sights, think.
Plane Filters CompIimented
"I suppose we are somewhere near
this Handley Page machine now.
hope they have good luck and get over
safely. admire these heavy pilots
after seeing what they have to cover.
The ordinary interested Atlantic flight
reader cannot conceive the dangers and
perils for the airplane men. l take off
my hat to them.
~ am more than convinced as we
travel on that there will not be trans
atlantic airplane service for consider
able time.
"This ship is pitching and rolling
very badly again now, due to the cross
currents, suppose. Fancy-more than
1000 miles to go yet. 1 think with a
about Friday evening.
Great joy. at 12:bo-At one tims
we sighted Newfoundland. St. Johns
some one said. 1t looked bleak and
lonely. The barren country is most
uninteresting to Us, but nevertheless
we thoroughly enjoy the sight of land.
I'VE are now making forry-two knots
and approaching town named Fortune
CD. Here we endeavored to parachute
letters down to the government OF
Canada. The parachute burst and the
packet dropped we'll clear Of the town;
| think l saw people start toward the
spot; we hope so.
How Time Was Passed
"Just had Shaw and feel much
better now. Two officers are writing
letters home to post at New York Lieu
tenant Commander Lansdowne and my
self are sitting together writing notes.
Two men are playing pitch and toss
with washers. Another group off
watch around the graphophone, which
was repaired by the engineers.
"Six o'clock Friday. Strange to re-
late. just discovered 'stowaway' A
| had not seen it before. 1t is looking
longingly at one emergency pigeon
which, by the way, musts be tired of
this continent.
Eight p. M, Friday, have just sen,
my wife a message (wireless) via the
steamship Megantic and st. Johns
'All's WE'LL
Gust received following signals from
Air Ministry: TO officers and crew Of
and your gallant crew. From S. S
Megantc: Congratulations. Watching
your progress with much interest
(Signed) Miller
Just heard that the Handley Pag,
is making good headway. May he have
tons of luck 1t is indeed some flight
! 81 am feeling very tired now ane
have developed bad cold in the head
| most uncomfortable. Shall be yer,
thankful to land.
/ Sight Of Halifax an Error
"Twelve-fifteen. Halifax in sight
1 About thirty miles ahead. Mistake
| not Halifax. Still steaming along o.
4 three engines.
1 Three forty-fve a. m. Saturday
4 Running on five engines.
ii ut is now 2:45 p. m. Saturday.
Il have hardly time to write of ali tn
II anxious moments we have experience
81 since l last noted here. In the nigh
! the weather was very bad from New
] foundland and we had to cut acros
A Nova Scotia to get into the Bay G
81 Fundy, where the weather is muc
! better, and we are proceeding on ou
way at twenty knots to New York. W
a hope to get there some time to-morroy
q Our petrol is getting extremely lo
and on the whole / am having a yer
q anxious time"
n Here Shelters diary ended abrupt
q The engineer officer explained that tt
| storm which broke early to-day Ike,
81 him too active to allow him time
a record what took place. The R-34 w.
II on the outside edge Of tropical di
81 turbance which blew up so sudden
AL that every man who was asleep in h
81 hammock was swung seemingly upsit
aI down before the ship adjusted itself