New-York tribune., 1919-05-16
easterly direction and was travelling


easterly direction and was travelling
ut terrific speed.
AT sundown the airship was more
than thirty miles off St. Johns. The
Edwards was speeding after it. how
ever, and some of the officers ashore
expressed the hope that the destroyer
might be able to recover the ship dur
ing the night without having to destroy
it. They based their hope on the fact
that the cold night air will contract
the gas in the envelope and the ma
chine may thus descend to sea level.
This fact, together with the clear sky,
full moon and the destroyer's search
lights, will enable the crew of the
Edwards to keep the airship under OBJ
servation throughout the night.
Ocean Flight OF
Even if the Edwards is successful
in saving the airship before she is
destroyed, it will probably require some
time to repair the damage which she
received from the buffetings of the
wind.
The loss of the blimp was bitter
disappointment to lieutenant Com
mander Emery w. Coil and his crew of
five. Despite heavy fog and unfavor-
@D'e ~casner, tnSy Hou 'louSnS lily p'k
airship over the long course from Mon
tauk Point.
"Well, we've lost a chance to be
heroes and the navy has lost a sweet
little ship" was the only comment
Commander Coil would make when told
of the loss.
The commander of the Chicago tele-
graphed the Navy Department at Wash
ington, informing them Of the disas-
ter and the steps taken to destroy the
Biimp. Within O few minutes reply
was received confirming the orders
given to the Edwards.
The message from Washington said
the attempt to cross the ocean with a
dirigible airship would not be aban-
doned, but that another ship would be
made ready to take the place Of the
C-5.
The C-5 arrived at the Pleasantville
base, near here. at 9:45 o'clock this
morning, New York time, from Mon
tsuk Point, Long Island, after being in
tho air continuously for twenty-five
hours and forty minutes. A perfect
landing was made within the narrow
confines of the old cricket field which
was chosen as the anchorage for the
airship. Lieutenant j. V. Lawrence
was at the wheel at the completion of
the voyage, and the manner in which
he handled the ship while the landing
was being performed evoked cheer Of
admiration from the crowd which had
gathered.
As soon as she had been secured at
her anchorage a big force, under Lieu
tenant Little, was set to work prepar-
ing the ship for the transatlantic fight
II was not long before the treacherous
wind began to play upon the dirigible,
and early in the afternoon she was torn
from her anchorage, but was recapt-
ured and secured again.
1mm ediately after arrival, Lieutenant
Commander Coil and his crew got out
of the car and prepared to take twelve
hours sleep before continuing their
fight across the Atlantic Before
turning in, however, he told the story
of the trip to Newfoundland.
In it he gave all the credit to Lieu
tenant Campbell and Lieutenant ]. V.
Lawrence, both of whom, he said, were
weary "and almost seasick," but stuck
to their posts. He also described the
the airship was "lost" over Newfound-
land.
eve made 'landfall' at st. Pierre"
he said,. "but found ourselves on the
west instead Of the east shore of Pla-
centia Bay. From this point we at
tempted to follow the Chicago's radio
directions, but they did not work. For
the moment we were lost.
No Trouble From Fog
I'VE started cross lots and saw
about all Of Newfoundland, and must
say that this is the doggondest island
to find anything on l. ever struck.
Eventually y4swe hit the railroad track
and followed it to Top Sails, which we
identified, and then continued on to
st. Johns. There was considerable fog
but it did not trouble us.
Throughout the time we were try
ing to find ourselves we had difficulty
with our wireless set, and part of the
time it was out Of commission
Our troubles started just after mid
night, when the sky became overcast
Before then we had been flying under
q full moon at an altitude of 900 feet
We lost our bearings while approaching
Little Miquelon Island, off the south
coast of Newfoundland, about 40 miles
from st. Johns
Commander Coil praised the work Of
the landing crew which moored the
dirigible. Rear Admiral Spencer S
Wood, commander of the aviation base
greeted the C-6's commander. The en-
tire crew of the airship then took ar
ausomobllt, and was hurried to the