Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-14

R-34 is LANDED
SAFELY; MAKES
TRIP IN IS HRS.
Dirigible Completes Sea
Flight-Will Soon Go
to Egypt.

London, July 14.-(By tn = -!
Press lit was authoritatively
learned today that the dirigibIe
R-34, just returned from the Unit.
ed States, will soon make another
long trip, flying to Egypt next Sep
tember.
Pulham, Norfolk, England, July
14.-(By the Associated Press. y
Great Britain's mammoth trans
Atlantic air pioneer, the dirigible
R-34, arrived at the air station
here at 6:56 o'clock, Greenwich
mean time, yesterday, completing
its trip from the British isles to
the United States and return.
The R-34 poked it's nose out of
the clouds northeast of the village
and, after circling the flying field
three times, glided gently to the
ground, and 10 minutes later was
housed in the dirigible shed.
The voyage from Long Island
was without particular incident
and was completed in approx
mately IS hours.
Men at AirdrOme Ready.
Soon after daybreak, 400 men
stationed at the airdrome were
reused from their sleep Lookouts
took positions in tow0-s and wire
less operators prepared to pick up
messages from the sirship. The
sun rose bright, but soon after
ward was obscured by clouds.
There was no wind.
Shouts from those on the field
greeted the first sight of the long
gray body low on the rorizon. AS
the R-34 approached the field it
dropped from a height of 5000 feet
to 1000. The men went to their
positions and waited silently as tho
ship eircled the field, dropping
lower and lower.
When Major G. H. Scott, its
commander, had maneuvered the
airship into position for the land
ing, the water ballast was re-
leased to steady the ship and a
rope was thrown from the bow.
Ship Dragged to Shed.
The rope was grasped by eager
hands, and the giant skip moved
across the field to the shed, where
the delicate operation of berthing
was completed without accident.
The tired, unshaven. hut smiling
crew quickly climbed from the
gondola and were greeted warmly
by officers and soldiers.
''The voyage home mas been with
out incident" said Major Scott.
I'VE want breakfast"
After breakfast and while en-
joying the belated luxury of his
Ha
ing permitted on the airship, Major
Scott told the story of the return
fight, as follows:
I'VE estimated we would make it
in from 70 to so hours" he said.
I'VE made it in rs. When we left
we had a strong wind behind US
and we covered the first 500 miles
in about eight hours When we
circled over New York we could
plainly see the crowds on Broad
way waving to US as we passed,
but we could not hear them be-
cause of the noise of the engines.
DfrigibIe's Pace Slowed.
South of Newfoundland we en-
countered head winds and our
progress from then on was slower.
We travelled at an average height
of from 5000 to 5000 feet and
found much low clouds and fog.
Once we saw nothing but fog for
"a hours.
I'VE struck Ireland at Clifden
and made good progress from
there, although our steering engine
broke down Saturday morning. We
started with 1900 gallons of gaso-
line and had 900 left
I'VE are naturally pleased with
the trip, all of US. 1 expect impor
tant changes in the size and speed
of future airships-big ships that
will travel 20 to 80 miles an hour
and powerful enough to crawl
through anything.