The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-21

London. June 29.--The R-34 returned
yesterday afternoon from what Is semi
officially described as. IAN interesting
mission. successfully accomplished"
Though the admiralty is silent. the
story will not down that the big
dirigible circled over Berlin wednes-
day afternoon. 1t is admitted that she
touched Baltic ports on her interest
ing MISSION" Report also has II she
penetrated as far east az Danzig.
No official statement whatever has
been issued up to this cabling, The
biimp's future movements depend en-
tirely on whether peace is signed
II II is signed, she will depart for
New York az soon as her landing place
on Hazelhurst field is thoroughly pre-
pared.
Incidentally, the admiralty did not
protest against the erroneous publica-
tion here of report that both the R-34
and her sister ship. the R-33. sailed
with full armament, machine gun and
bombs. to an unknown destination
whereas the strict fact Is that both
are on a peace footing.
What of the R-34y Did she. or did
she not, circle over Berlin yesterday
afternoon:
The British public mind is more in
tenseiy pre-occupied with the mystic
than with any other subject. The
big blmp has habit OF disappearing
suddenly on weird and adventures. Not
long ago II went on twenty-one
hour spree" the first exclusive details
of which will be told presently.
A Martial Mission.
But this last reported mission was
a martial one. Admiralty confirmation
In still lacking. but---as was exclusively
20 }oA IN nj CAyvi~e Ia night
there Is a ypessistent rnmor. that she
headed straight for Berlin and stuck
around" a considerable while to give
the Germans an object lesson and assist
them In the decision to sign the peace.
Last official reports have her some
where in the Baltic ready to do her
bit when the blockade is renewed. and
the plan OF transatlantic flight Is
held in allowance until Germany has
spoken her last word,
On her visit to Berlin, she carried
no bombs. adhering strictly to the
terms OF the armistfce, the story goes.
She appeared just as an innocent sky
,oyager, "just happening to pass that
way" But Re Is said TO have dropped
low enough to- permit anxious Berlin
ers to see through telescopes her capa :
tiiity Of doing damage on an enormous
scale.
She is said to have left her mocrings
at East Fortune late Tuesday night and
headed directly across the North Sea
for Hefyoland At daylight, accordin e
/. the story. she turned inland 20 AZ to
fy over the most important German
csties. II WAS not . hurried flight. but
leisurely ioafng across Germany 10
Berlin, IL is said.
First Over Berlin.
N the story Is true, the Rs4 il the
first British aircraft Of any kind ever
10 appear over Berlin. Since the armis-
tice no Zeppelin had been in the Ger
man sky.
Also, the monster Ia said TO have
carried a new flag TO Germany. the
Union Jack is blue field which is
distinctive OF the air force. She carried
normal crew and fun capacity of
fuel. the reports aver
But here il the story OF the adven-
lures which recently befeli the binp's
crew and passengers during her en-
forced twen,y-one hour fight over
Northern England and the North Sea.
This ail-night cropping in the fog, with
no food and little sense OF direction
was hair raising thriller. and no mis-
take about that
The cruise OF thrills began shortly
after s p. NJ. when the great airship
left her mcorings at rnchivnan, on the
Clyde, bound for the East Fortune
aerodrcme at Haddingtonshire. Dis
posed in the great ships gondolas were
men. three dogs and a
boisterous cat who In the pet OF the