New-York tribune., 1919-07-08
Ship Breaks From Moor
ings, but Quick Action
of Navy Men Prevents
Serious Injury to Craft
Storm Over Ocean
Delays Departure
Return To Be Over South
ern Route; 1900 Miles
Without Sight of Land

The British super-dirigible R-34
vii start on her return flight across
she Atlantic Ocean from Mineola to
East Fortune, Scotland, at daybreak
tomorrow morning should the weather
conditions prove favorable.
The decision to delay the departure
d The giant ship twenty-four hours
after her scheduled time was reached
hte last night by Brigadier General E.
N. Maitland and Major G. H. Scott,
commander Of the airship. 1t was made
asa result of the unfavorable weather
Conditions reported from mid-Atlantic.
It was also announced that the delay
In departure would enable the mechan-
iss thoroughly to overhaul the airship's
engines and at the same time tempo
rarily patch up the rent in the envel-
ope caused earlier in the day by a sud-
dent gust Of wind
Weather Forecast Unfavorablo
The decision was made immediately
tter the following weather report was
received at Roosevelt Field from the
Weather Bureau in Washington:
Moderate north-northeast and north
east winas. Fair weather next FORTY
eight hours. Conditions not favorable
Tor return fight within next fortv-
elgnt hours, as weather will remain
threatening over the sea and head
vlnds will probably be encountered as
lar east as longitude So"
IN announcing the delay, Brigadier
General Maitland said:
The. R-34 will probably leave the
aeld about o'clock Wednesday morn
ing II possible, but it may be later.
No nave not been able thoroughly to
samlne and overhaul the engines.
vhich arc very sensitive. We have
0een working on them ever since we
slnved here, but owing to the severe
ssfain they underwent on the trip
ever we feel that very thorough over
aaui is necessary before we start
back
sudden gust of wind which swept
sefoss Roosevelt Field just. before
a'0a yesterday came near wrecking the
nammoth airship. The terrific heat of
zoe sun blazing down upon the metal
Envelope had caused the hydrogen
"''ain the hull to. expand to such an
ssent that the ship was tugging vio-
3asy against her mooring ropes.
Ship Torn From Mooring
was before this effect could be
sssnseracted that the gust struck the
.ap' and sent it bodily upward 800
fset' tearing it completely out of the
sfasp of several hundred men who
sefe adding their combined strength
= me mooring ropes in an effort to
Keep the ship down.
ine sudden lift caused the drag rope
Tear five foot rent in the forward
sa'' OF the metal envelope at the place
.aefe the drag rope was attached.
a'ter few minutes frantic work on
ss part Of the landing crew the great
mp was finally brought down again
~hrmiy secured. AS g result of
sSn accident the work of pumping
ssafogen gas and gasolene into the
Up was postponed until the last few
s1ss before her departure.
Aae rent Is not serious" said
'sao'er General Maitland, "but 1t ia in
~ oi the nooring attachments which
~ oe needed when we land in Scot
$50 1t is for that reason we are an
su' 70 patch IL up before we start
~" here. The accident has not
.sso us TO postpone our start, how
s1' as the repairs have been practi-
Wy hnished now"
wilson Daughters Visitors
!" vas shortly after the accident that
ruehs russ Wilson's two daughters, Mrs.
's" u. AcAdoo and Mrg. Francis
"Ayre, had the honor Of being the
&. s''sfican women to go through
s"'p On tour Of inspection. g
were escorted on to the field by
me Archie Miller, chief of all
"' activities on Long Island, who
accompanied by his wife. The
we're met at the airship by
M Maitland and Major Scott.
~ remained on board the airshin
ii an hour, during which time
continued en- p0ge four