The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-07-08
SAFELY CROSSES
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Giant British DirigibIe Lands at
MineoIa, N. T., After an
Exciting Air Trip.
NEARLY OUT OF FUEL
Lighter Than Air Machine Makes Trip
From Scotland to United States
Without Halt in 1903 Hours
and IL Minutes.

Mineoia, NJ. ", July s.-The R34
was torn from it's mooring rope by
a violent gust of wind. The cross
girder to which the rope was at
tached broke under the strain,
ripping a hole six feet by three
feet in the gas bag. The giant
diriglble was saved from being
blown away by 800 men who
seized ropes hanging from its sides
and held 1t down with great diff
ficulty.
Mineola, N. r., July 8.-Lieu-
tenant Colonel Frederick w. Lu-
cas- of the Royal Air Force, in
charge of the landing arrange
ments of the R34, denied there
had been any change of plans
for the departure of the big Brit
ish dirigible. He said the over
seas start positively would not be
made before Tuesday.
Mineola, N. Y, July S.-Great Brit.
aims super-dirigible, the R-34, the first
lighter-than-air machine TO cross the
Atlantic ocean, anchored here al
Roosevelt flying field after an aerial
voyage of 10S hours and IL minutes
which covered $3.50 knots or approx
mately $500 land miles.
Passing through dense banks o1
clouds, with the sun and sea visible
only at rare intervals, the R-34 was
forced to cruise 2,050 knots to reach
Trinity Bay, n. F., from East Fortune
Scotland. aud 1880 knots from there tS
Mineola.
When the super-airship arrived here
she had left only enough petrol Il
keep her moving 80 minutes longer
her crew, almost sleepless for foul
and half days, was weary almost Il
the point of exhaustion, but happy a
the successful completion of an epoch
making trip. The return voyage will
be started Tuesday at s a. m.
Crew Haggard From Vigil.
Haggard, unshaven, their eye
bloodshot from the long vigil and line
of care bitten deep into their faces
Maj. c. H. Scott, the commander, an,
his officers showed plainly the effect
of the anxious hours through whicl
they lived while they were cruisin
over the far reaches of Canada an
the Bay of Fundy, beset by fog, heav
winds and terrific electrical storms.
"It seemed as though the atmoi
phere was haunted by 5000 devils,
said Lieut.. Guy Harris, the meteorC
logical officer.
With the R-34 long overdue at ii
destination, petrol supply running low
and buffeted by strong head wind
Major Scott decided, while over tn
Bay of Fundy, to send a wireless ca
to the American Navy department I
prepare to give assistance if it wer
needed. This was merely q measur
of precaution and did not indicate di
couragement.
Hoodoo Lifts.
While destroyers and submarir
chasers were racing to her assistanc
the R-34 was plugging steadily ahes
on the way to Mineola. Once clear
the Bay of Fundy the atmospher
hoodoo, which had beset the era
from the time it took the air, w;
gradually left In its wake.
The R-34 headed southwest o.
across the Atlantic along the coast
Maine. her nose pointed for Cape Co
with the United States destroyer Ba
croft hanging on her tail and in CO
slant wireless communication wi
her The destroyer stuck in the wal
of the air monster, running und
forced draft until Cape Cod WI
reached, and then the dirigible C
across lots"
II had been decided on the voyaI
along the coast that unless a favoril
wind came up the R-34 would
forced to land at Montauk Point al
wireless message was sent out ma
ing that announcement. Fortune fl
ally favored the dirigible and the vii
yeered to her favor.