The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-04

New York, July 4.--The big Brit
ish dirigible RIA has crossed the
Atlantic in about sixty hours, and is
now approaching st. Johns, capital
Of Newfoundland.
She Is due to reach st. Johns al
noon. New York time, said a mes
sage received from st. Johns this
morning. At her present rate OF
speed she will not arrive at Mlneola
l.. l., until after noon Saturday.
In her history making flight across
the Atlantic the R-34 ancountered
far less trouble from the elements
than is usually experienced by IN
ocean liner. Only once was she
driven cut OF her course. That was
late last night when, arriving SOC
miles off the Newfoundland coast
she ran into great fog bank and
rain storm. She was flying at an
altitude of about 1000 feet at that
time.
Instead Of swinging southwest to-
ward St. Johns, as he originally
planned, Mai. Scott laid the airship's
course straight westward, riding
along the northern edge OF the storm
clouds and seeking clear weather.
Shortly before 3 o'clock this morning,
New York time, he found it, accord
ing to wireless message to the Brit
ish air ministry.
The dirigible's nose swung about
and pointed southwark as a clear sky
came into sight She rounded the
edge of the great fog bank in much
the same manner that an ocean liner
might swing around a projecting bit
OF land. and at o'clock this morning,
New York time, had reached a posi-
tion 4S.40 north, 1870 west.
The wireless station at Ponta Del
Gada In the Azores picked up the
next message from the R-34 at S
o'clock this morning. The message
said she had reached 1850 north,
5O.25 west, or about $50 miles north
east of St. Johns.
Over Notre Dame Bay am.
ST Johns, n. f., July 4.-The R-Si
reached Notre Dame bay at 6 am,
it was announced, and was to pass
over st. Johns at noon, coming suf-
ficiently near the ground to be seen
by the populace and dropping a mail
bag for the governor
Travelling at about 81 knots an
hour, the RIA should have retched
the northern shores of NewfOund-
land before o'clock this morning,
New York time. Communication be-
tween ST Johns and the Sparsley
settled villages of Northern New
foundland is not good, and messages
reporting the drigible's arrival over
Newfoundland probably will he
somewhat delayed.
A British air ministry report this
forenoon declared that the R-34
probably headed straight for Bell
Isle 20 miles north Of Cape Ball
to avoid unfavorable weather over
st. Johns, and then headed directly
across Newfounmand
This course would carry the dirigible
across Newfoundland, on a line 140
miles west of st. Johns.
To Start Back in Eight Hours.
New York, July "A. P)-After
reading Associated Perss dispatches
the arrival of the R-34
at Notre Dame bay early today
Lieut.. Col +. w. Lucas, royal air
force, who has general supervision of
the reception OF the R-24, stated the
dirigible probably would reach New
York early Saturday morning. Lieut.
Col Lucas was without information
on the location and progress of the
shin other than press dispatches.
plans for the reception of the R-2+
have in no way been changed" re
said The ship likely will start on
the return flight eight hours after
arrival here"
Responds TO Wireless Request
Washington, July An response
to wireless request from the R-34
the United States weather bureau
today furnished the airship with COM
plete meteorological reports for the
Atlantic coast and forecasts of wind
and weather. The weather bureaus
indicating excellent flying
conditions for the next twenty-four
hours was sent to the R-S4 via the
Cape Race wireless station.