The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-08
BALLOON
RETURNS
TONIGHT
British Dirigib1e R-34 to Start
Home Between Eleven
O'clock and Day
break.
DELAYED BY REPAIRS
To Fly Direct from Long Island to
ireland with Seventy Hours a.
Time Of Return
BY REPAIRS

IUnited Press Leased Wire Service.]
MINEOLA, L. L., July S.-The Brit
ish dirigible R-34, the first lighter
than-air craft to cross the Atlantic,
will start its return voyage between
II o'clock tonight and daybreak to-
morrow, should weather conditions
prove favorable. 1t was definitely an
nounced early today.
Major G. H. Scott, commander,
planned ON getting away before .
o'clock this morning, but thorough
inspection last night revealed that
the airship needed further overhaul.
ing. The delay will also enable tenn
parary repairs to the envelope. a
large rent in which was torn yester'
day when gust of wind nearly
pulled the R-34 from her moorings al
time when the heat had greatly ex
panded her gas.
Scott reiterated that the R-34 Will
make a short cruise over New York
City before putting out to sea on the
trip back. Although the weather con
ditions for the next twenty-four hours
are expected to be unfavorable, the
officers of the R-34 were confident
of making much faster time than on
the trip over here, as the prevailing
winds are sure to be from the west
The R-34 will take the southern
route, flying direct from Mineola to
Fastnet, ireland. This distance is
i1,S4Y sea miles, compared with l.40O
miles from Ireland to New Found
land. The dirigible averaged twenty
nine and one-half miles coming over
but Scott and his associates believe
they can average forty going back
This would make the time for the
return trip about seventy hours. as
compared with the 10S hours and II
minutes consumed on the westward
voyage The petrol consumption, IN
this event, would be $500 gallons, as
against 4,OS0 gallons. The dirigible,
which brought some mail over, will
carry some mail back, mostly per
sonaI letters No official documents
were offered for the return mail, Sc
the public receives the benefit, such
mail as was marked please send by
R-34' being placed aboard yesterday
Most OF it bore an ordinary two-cent
stamp.
"A report was current at Roosevelt
field today that Captain Craven, OF
the American aviation service, who
went to Washington on a hurried trip
yesterday, was making preparations
for President Wilson to visit the R-34
while in this vicinity today. This
could not be confirmed and there
was a disposition to believe the
presidents limited itinerary would
not be altered on such short notice.
AS overhauling of the five motors
proceeded today, it developed thai
the water jacket of the port engine OF
the middle gondola had cracked, flood
ing the engine. The motor will have
to be taken apart, and it was reported
that this might require "a hours.
About six o'clock this morning 8
shift in the wind again caused the
R-34 to tug at her moorings. Addi
tional men were called out and she
was brought under control after
short struggle.
Start at O'clock.
MINECLA, L. l., July S.-Major II
G. Scott, commander OF the R-34, an
nounced shortly after noon today that
the di1igible probably would start on
Its return voyage across the Atlantic
about six o'clock tomorrow morning
This delay in the original plans
Scott said, was necessitated by more
work in overhauling the engines thar
had been anticipated. He said the
iRr34 would cruise over New York City
for about an hour before putting out
to sea.
! Horticultural Exposition.