The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-07-08
BRITISH DIRICIBLE
REACHES AMERICA
Successful Landing Made at the
Roosevelt Flying Field
Sunday Morning.
TRIP ROUGH ON THE CREW
But They Were Happy That the
Flight Was Ended and Sue
cessful-Start on Return Trip
Today.

Today.
Mineola, July Great Britain'g
super-dirigible, R-34, the first light
er-than-air machine to cross the At
iantlc ocean anchored at RoosevefI:
lying field at 9:54 a. m, yesterday.
(l;54 Greenwich mean time). after.
an aerial voyage of los hours and II
minutes, which covered 5,634 miles
Passing through dense banks OF
Clouds with the sun and sea visible,
only at rare intervals, the R-34 was
forced to cruise 3 800 miles to reach
Trinity Bay. n. F., from East For
tune, Scotland, and 1914 miles froup
there to Mineola.
When the future Zeppelin arrived
here she had only enough petrol to-
keep her moving so minutes longer.
Her crew, almost sleepless for four
and half days, We're weary almost
to the point of exhaustion, but happy
at the successful completion of their
epoch-making trip. The return voy-
age will be started Tuesday at eighs.
a. m.
atmosphere Was Haunted"
Haggard. unshayen, their ewes.
bloodshot from the long vigil anrE
lines of care bitten deep into their
faces, Maj. G. H. Scott, the COM
mander, and his officers showed the
plain effects of the anxious hours,
through which they lived while they
were cruising over the far reaches of
Canada and the Bay of Fundy, beset
by fog, heavy winds and terrific cleo
trical storms.
1T seemed as though the atmos-
phere was haunted by more thare
5000 devils" said Lieut.. Guy Harris.
the meteorological officer.
With the R-34 long overdue at its
destination, petrol supply running
low and buffeted by strong head
winds, Major Scott decided while
over the Bay of 'undy to send
wireless call to the American navy
department to be prepared to give AZ.
sistance If ii We're needed This was,
merely a measure of precaution and
did not indicate discouragement.
While destroyers and submarine
chasers were rushing to her assist
ance, the R-34 was plugging steadily
ahead on the way to MineoGa. Once,
clear of the Bay of Fundy the at
mospheric hoodoo which had beset
the craft from the time it took the
air was gradually left in its wake.
Fortune FavOrs Dirigible.
The R-34 headed southwest ony
across the Atlantic along the coast
OF Maine. her nose pointed for Cane.
Cod with the United States DESTROY
er Bancroft hanging on her tail. and
in constant wireless communication
with her. The destroyer stuck close.
IN the wake of the air monster, run
ming under forced draft. until Cane.
Cod was reached, and then the dirig,
ible cut across lots.
II had been decided on the VOYAGE.
along the coast that unless favor
ing wind came up the R-34 would
he forced to land at Montauk point.
and wireless message was sent our
making that announcement With
the cape left behind, however, for
tune finally favored the drigible and
the wind veered to her favor. Head
ed straight for Montauk point size.
ran true, and before tip end of Long
Island was reached il was decided IN,
go on to Mineola. With the goal al
most in sight the R-3f flew majes-
tically above the island and headed
down the center OF il for
Roosevelt field 100 miles away.
AS she cruised over Riverhead the
dirigible came within range of the
wireless telephone installed at Roose-
welt field by the navy radio service
and perfect communication was es-
tablished. During the night the wire
less calls from the R-34 were receiv
ed by the navy radio station in New
York
Major Pritchard Jumps on.
Over the wireless telephone il was
explained to Major Scott that a large
part of the crew assembled to assist
in landing had been sent to Montauk