The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-14
Surprises Ships.

I'VE we're never out OF touch with
the world, althou~h we met a lot Of
fog" said Lieut.. R. D. Durrant, wire
less officer, 1T was hot in New York,
see what It is here. We slgnaled two
ships, the Cumberland and one going u
Mexico.
when they asked us who we were
we said that we were a British airship
from New York to England. Their
wireless operators expressed surprise.
They had beer. at sea some time M
did not know about US"
Brig. Gen. e. NJ. Maitland, repre-
sentative of the air ministry on the
RIA, said.
I'VE were sent by the air ministry
to demonstrate that airships can do a
long SEA voyage, with the ultimate view
OF their commercial use 1ater. Airships
undoubtedly will be used in the future
oversee and overland. They will not
or seaplane, but all will work together.
The airship will go on long voyages,
while the other flyers Will radlate for
short distances from the airship ter
mini.
"Our reception in America was ex-
traordinary. The people there, i'm
pressed with our voyage, fully realize
the commercial possibility of the big
airship. II was a wonderful sight as
we passed over the great electric signs
in New York, the signs being particu-
larly bright spots below"
The log of the R-34 on its eastern
trip, kept by Brig, Gen, Maitland. says
that after an extremely good get
away" New York looked wonderful at
midnight and was a veritable fairyland
of ~twinkling lights.
At 1:10 a. M, Thursday, the R-S4
headed for her Scottish base at an
estimated speed of "a miles an hour
getting the full benefit of n 35-knot
wind from the southwest, At 2:17
O'Clock the dtrigible crossed the Ameri-
can coast line, An entry in the log
here says; Some hot coffee from a
Vacuum flask presented by kind Ameri-
can friends was very nice and warm
ing"
dirigible had covered 43O miles from
New York. The mail was then sorted.
II included a number OF newspapers,
the log adding
I'VE hope this journey will prove the
fastest newspaper delivery between
New York and London yet accomplished
and will be the forerunner of n regular
interchange of mail between the east
and west-the old world and the new
At 10;45 o'clock the RIA was making
"a knots an hour on four engines, the
forward engine having been stopped,
"If all goes WE'LL the log continues,
scott Commander of the R-3D will
go straight to London to see how Ions
II takes to cross from Broawyay tC
i Piccadily circus, At Dor we had lunch
with a ration of ruln. The latter wa,
much appreciated as the weather hat
turned. Much secondary meteorological
information in the Atlantic, il was
agreed, could be obtained cheaply BY
e%quippinR cable repair ships with oh
server kites and Instruments
The arrival OF the R-Si NJ Pulham
about So miles northeast of London
marks the completion OF the first roun'
trip voyage OF a lighter than air air
craft across the Atlantic ocean. Th,
return trip was made in Il hours AM
SO minutes. The R-St was delayed OF
her flight from East Fortune to Ameri
ca owing to fog and stormy weather
requiring 10s hours, II minutes for tn
5000 miles.
In connection with the 'R-S4s flyt'
] time on the return trip, IT is recalle
that the American seaplane NC-t too
, is hours, is minutes in flying. tror
Trepassey, n. f., to the Islands of Hor
ia, Azores, on May Is. Capt. Alcoc
and Lieut.. Brown In their airplane tligh
from st. Johns to Clifden, Ireland, o
June II consumed l6 hours and L. min
$ utes.
Q The steamship Mauretanla, in l9l
: created a sensation by crossing the Al
I lantic from Queenstown TO New lor
In four days and 10 hours