Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-14
Completes Round Trip
(caakiauAd &rnn Para Oaal
Continued from

But We did not have time to admire
the beauty of the scene.
I'VE soon passed over Liverpool
and then other cities and towns.
and here we are. We suffered no
and no Inconvenience ex-
cept that we had no hot water for
shaving. Our eggs were cooked in
the exhaust of the engines and we
had plenty of other good food and
coffee, tea and cocoa to drink. No
one suffered from air sickness and
while the sea below was tossed by n
40-mile gale we were moving along
in comfort on an even keel
Regular airship service between
Europe and America is bound to
come, and soon."
The members Of the crew were
eagerly surrounded by friends wlo
were waiting at the aifdome. George
Graham, the ckief engineer. proudly
carried his pet kitten which was
born at East Fortune. The kittsn
suffered no Inconvenience during the
trip and manifested its delight on
reaching land again by jumping
on the backs Of its masters friends.
I'VE were never out Of touch with
the world, although we met a lot Of
fog" said Lieutenant r. d. Durrant,
the wireless officer. TT was hot in
New York, cold in the middle Allan
tic and you see what 1t is here. We
signalled two ships, the Cumber.
land and one going to Mexico. When
they asked us who we're were we
said that we were British airship
from New York to England. Their
wireless operators expressed sur
prise. They had been at sea SOME
time and did not know about u.s.
Brigadier-Gen. E. M. MAITLAND,
the representative of the Air Min
istry on the RIA, who kept the log
of the voyage. said:
I'VE were sent by the Air Min
istry to demonstrate that airships
can do a long sea voyage with the
ultimate view Of their commercial
use later. Airships undoubtedly will
be used in the future over sea AMI
land. They will not conflict in any
way with the airplane or seaplane
put all will work together. The air.
ship will go on long voyages, while
the other f1iers will radiate for sho,
distances from the airship term
inals.
Our reception in America YVES
extraordinary. The people there.
impressed with our voyage, fully
realize the commercial possibility of
the big airship. It was a wonderful
sight as we passed over the great
electric signs in New York. the
signs being particularly bright spots
below"
The members Of the crew were dis
appointed because they were not able
to land at East Fortune, where
most Of them have their homes. They
were taken in charge by the off,
GERS at Pulham and provided with
as they had nothing but their
flying clothes on the ship. All were
glad to get back but said they were
to make another trip, being
that their successful ad-
venture was only the beginning of
a life which will include not only
trans Atlantic flights. but regular
trips to other countries, particular
y AA ASoASPO anu holds All aEIcSQ
that long voyage entailed no harder
work than many other duties of fly
ing.
The R-s4 rested today in the shed
beside her sister ship. the R-33. Ma
Jor Scott and the other officers of
the dirigible. after resting today, will
prepare tomorrow to return the R-34
to East Fortune, her home port.
The officers will make a careful
examination Of the machinery and
the envelope to ascertain how they
stood the trip. They expressed the
belief that the stern engine had been
damaged beyond repair as the con-
Meeting rod had broken and wrecked
the engine. The other engines work.
ca perfectly to the last minute, but
Will be gone over in a search for
strain defects before the ship again
takes the air. Major Scott also will
examine the envelope. which appears
TO have stood the test we'll.