El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-09
DirigibIe May
LeaUe About 4
4. M. T0morYo0;
Associated Press Permitted
To Give Description
Of Giant Aircraft.


Mineoia. n Y. July s.-Again today
unfavorable winds from the east pre-
vented the giant dirigibIe from start
ing on her return trip to England
Prospects that RIA would get away
between midnight tonight and 8 a. m.
tomorrow seemed brighter this fore
noon when ". r. Gregg. a weather
expert sent here from Washington.
announced that the heavy southeast
gale OF yesterday had changed to
light west winds. This situation was
favorable and would continue prob
ably for IS hours. he said.
Maj 6. G. H. Cooke. navigator Of
the dirigible. said It was likely the
ship would get away about o'clock
tomorrow morning.
L. S. Officers Inspect Ship.
Officers Of the United States army
and navy aviation sections have been
permitted TO inspect the ship, and
Capt Samuel T Moore. Of the bal
loon section of the army today gave
10 the Associated Press representative
a description OF the first lighter-than-
air ship to cross the Atlantic
over all. the R-34 is $40 feet in
length, with four cars or gondolas,
suspended from the cigar-shaped en-
NelODt. 1uG 1OEl6lu IS ptCA-
pied by the navigator and pilots and
from It all parts Of the ship are con-
troled by means Of speaking tubes and
bell signals
In the rear Of the forward gondola
Is the wireless room. which also holds
one OF the ships engines The two
side gondOlas each contain an engine
and are only large enough for two
men to work. The rear car holds two
engines.
Inside Of Big Bag Is secret.
While the gondolas can be seen by
visitors to the field little or moth
ing has been allowed to filter out con-
corning the inside Of the big bag; In
side the bag is the deck OF the ship.
1t runs the greater part Of the length
wide. except at its middle where II
Widens ont into a compartment eight
by twenty feet. used by the. officers
and crew as a dining saloon.
The hydrogen gas-the lifting pow
er Of the ships carried IN eornpart-
ments inside the envelope These COM
partments are at the top OF the ship
and are Of gold beaten skin. which in
common language is nothing more
then the Innings OF intestinss Of
When ready TO start or a flight the
final initiation Of these gas contain
ers is made This operation takes
place usually at the minimum tenn
quantity OF gas can be taken into the
bags. The expansion OF gas in the
hays Is relieved by releasing water
ballast at the rate Of ten percent OF
water in 20 degrees Of rising tempera-
ture. Also ten percent OF water ball
last is released in each $500 rect OF Al
Fuel Carried in 81 Tanks.
When the R-34 leaves the ground Il
is permitted TO rise to its Equilibrium.
or about as high as It can 90. On
reaching its equilibrium the engines
are started and the flight begins Inc
fuel-gasoline and Oils carried IN
81 tanks. Sixteen Of these tanks are
fixed TO the framework OF the bag
structure and the others are known
as sliding tanks and can be discarded
as ballast should the occasion arise
The water ballast is carried IN can
vas bags OF two types. Ihere are
eight emergency bags, four forWaro
and four aft. which may be empt.ed ~
emergency because they can not be
controlled. Six other water bags are
controlled by levers and their contents
can be released as desired The water
ballast contains alcohol n surIicient
amount to prevent freezing In high al
Chairs Aboard ship.
The dining salon contains three Ia
bIes capable Of being raised TO the
upper frame work when not IN use.
Inc salon Is large enough u penn
half Of the crew to eat at a time the
food is cooked by appliances attached
70 the exhaust pipes Of the engines
The diners stand at a cupboard, there
being no chairs aboard the ship
The crew sleep in light hammoeks
along the sides OF the deck suspended
out over the bag proper, an IN case
sleeper falls from his net there IS
nothing to prevent him from falling
through the bag 20 death
Hensley New L. 5. Observer
New York, July 9.-Col- william n
Hensley. jr.. who will be the American
observer aboard the R-34 on its re-
turn flight. has been authorized by
the war department to continue his
observations in Europe after he has
landed at East Fortune. Scotland Col
Hensley takes the place for the return
trtp of Lieut. Com. Zachary Lans-
downe. U. s. n. who was the Amert-
can observer on the R-34 on the west
ward journey
Good Weather Forecast
WASHINGTON. D. c., J-ly 9--FaYor-
able weather for the return OF the
British dirigible R-24 over the soutn- (
ern route to Europe during the next
"a hours was forecast in the weather
report sent to the commander OF the
airship today by the navy department