The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-07-11
liant RIA LANDS
IN UNITED STATES
ig DirigibIe Finishes Long Trip
on Own Power.
NCH0RS AT MINE0LA, L. |.
nds Thrilling 5,6o0-MIie Trip Aoroes
AtIantic-Is Under Perfect Control
When II hovers Over Roose-
welt Field.


MineOla, L.. l., July 7.-Another
erial triumph was recorded when the
uge British dirigible R-34, the first
ighter-than-air machine to fly acrosk
ne Atlantic ocean, rounded out It's
'oyage from Europe to America and
anded at Roosevelt field here.
After being in the air exactly IUo
hours and II minutes from the time
left East Fortune, Scotland. on the
history making air trip, it descended
o the ground at Mineola without mis-
zap, to the vociferOus cheers Of thou
lands.
Travelled 5000 Miles.
The distance travelled by the
'blimp," the largest airship In, the
world, is computed at 5y634 miles,
1890 from England to Trinity bay and
l,944 from there to Mineola. When
he R-34 did arrive here 1t had gaso-
inc enough to carry it only 80 miles
'arther, and, according to the officers
IF the airship, If this had been ex-
aausted the trip might have ended
1isastrously.
When it started on the special jour
ney at 8:48 p. m. (New York time).
Tuesday last, it had q full supply,
which was considered ample to take
it back on a return trip.
Almost Out Of Gas.
An aimless cruise through dense
Nova Scotia, however. depleted this
supply, which became so low that 1t
was feared the gigantic bag would not
be able to reach Mineola, but would
have to land at MOntauk Point.
That the commander and officers Of
the r 81 were apprehensive was indi-
Gated by the fact that wireless mes
sage was flashed ashore requesting
that the United States navy send out
destrOyers to take it in tow If it
proved necessary. Fortunately it did
not require assistance and managed
TO reach its goal without the slightest
mishap.
Tentative plans, as outlined by Gen
eral MenOcher, call for visits to New
York city, Philadelphia and possibly
Washington, when the big dirigible
will circle over these cities for an
hour or more
Ship Under Perfect Control.
The "blimp" was under perfect con-
troll when she lowered over Mine0ia
and started to, descend to American
soil. It came down as gracefully as
bird on the wing and settled as
snugly as could be In the center Of the
spacious aviation field.
AS the great dirigible hove into
view hundreds of American soldiers
and sailors who had been specially
drilled for the task made ready to
secure it Immediately 1t touched terra
irma. The first rope anchor thrown
overheard was seized by go men, who
fastened it to the concrete piling, and
the historic voyage Of the huge airship
was at an end.
Five other anchors were thrown
over and made fast to the other moor
ing blocks.
When the R-34 had been secured
Gen. Edward M. Maitland of the Brit
ish royal air force, the official OBJ
server, and his companions stepped
to the ground. All were disheveled
and on the verge of collapse, none of
them having had more than two or
three hours sleep since the voyage
began.
Trip "Rather Sweet"
The British officers of the big dirigi-
BILE ran true to form when attempts
were made to interview them upon
their historic flight. They were ex-
tremely reticent. but one of them de-
clared that the trip was uneventful
and rather sweet"
Considerable praise was heard at
the field of the expert manner in
which the American soldiers and sail
ors secured the cumbersome dirigible
to its moorings when it landed. They
had been drilled in their work, but it
was not expected that they could have
secured the craft in five minutes, as
they did.