Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-07

wind, and except in the early hour.
of dawn. greater warmth than in tn,
surrounding atmosphere.
Getting into ones hammock i:
rather an acrobatic feat, especially
il it is slung high, but this become:
easy with practice-preventing one.
self from falling out is a thing one
must be careful about in a service
airship like the R-54. There is only
a thin outer cover of fabric on The
underside of the keel on each side
of the walking way and the luckles:
individual who tips out of his ham
mock would in all probability breah
right through this and soon fine
himself in the Atlantic.
1T is surprising the amount O.
exercise one can get on board ar
airship of this size. The keel i.
about 600 feet long and one is con
stantly running about from one enc
TO the other. There are also steps
in vertical ladder to the top of the
ship for those who feel energetic
or have duty up there. By the time
1t comes ones turn to go to bed
one generally finds one is very sleepy
and the warmth of ones sleeping
bag and the hum of the engines
soon send one to sleep.
"3:l5 p. m.-Durant, the wireless
officer, reports that he has just been
speaking TO ST. Johns, N, F.-rather
faint, but quite clear signals. As
we are still in touch with East For
tun" and Clifden and have been ex-
changing signals with the Azores
since reaching the Irish coast, our
communications seem to be quite
satisfactory.
Remarkable rainbow effects on
the clouds; one complete rainbow
encircled the airship itself and the
cther-a smaller one-encircled the
shadow. Both were very vivid in
their coloring.
"3:4s p. m,-Excellent tea consist
ing of bread and butter and green
gage jam, also two cups of scalding
hot tea which had been boiled over
the exhaust pipe cooker fitted to the
forward engine. The whole assisted
by Miss Lee White on the grama-
phone.
Rarely See Atlantic.
"4:30 p. m.-Still in fog and low
clouds and no sea visible. We have
hardly seen the Atlantic since leav-
ing the Irish coast and we are be-
ginning to wonder if we shall see
it at all the whole way across.
IS p. m.-Trampsteamer S. S.
Ballygally Kead, outward bound
from Belfast, destination Montreal,
picked up our wireless on their Mar
conf spark set, which has range of
only 80 miles. She heard US but
didn't see US as we were completely
hidden by the clouds
They were very surprised and
most interested to hear we were the
R-34 bound for New York and
wished US every possible luck.
$3.50 p. m-Messages were re-
ceived both from H. NJ. S. battle
cruisers Tiger and Renown, which
had been previously sent by the adj
rniralty out into the Atlantic to as
sist us with weather reports and
general observation.
Is p. m-Scott increases height to
1000 feet and at this height we find
ourselves we'll over the clouds and
with a bright blue sky above US.
The view is an enchanting one-as
far as one can see a vast ocean of
white fleecy clouds ending in the
most perfect cloud horizons.
1.-Two fine specimens of circus
clouds of which Pritchard promptly
obtained photographs appear on our
port beam, also some cirrus vento-
sus clouds-little curly clouds like
black cocks tail feathers-all of
which Harris interprets as a first
indication and infallible sign of a
depression coming up from the
south.
$40 p. m.-Put back clock one
half hour to corrected Greenwich
mean time. Time now 6:lO p. m.
Position latitude So degrees, 50
minutes north; longitude 20 degrees
west.
1--WE have covered 610 sea miles
in a direct line in II
hours at an average speed of SO
knots, or 40 miles per hour. Depth
of Atlantic at this point 1900 faith
oms. At this rate, if all goes well
and if that depression from the
south doesn't interfere, we should
see ST. Johns about midnight to-
morrow, July 3.
"6:55 p. m.-Wireless message
from air ministry via Clifden states:
"'Conditions unchanged in Brit
ish isles. Anti-cyclone persistent in
eastern Atlantic-a new depression
entering Atlantic from south
This confirms Harris forecast
and is an admirable proof of the
value of cloud forecasting.
On Top of Clouds.
"S p. m.-We are just on top of
the clouds alternately in the sun
and then plunging through thick
banks of clouds. The sun is very
To-, down on the western horizon
and we are steering straight for it.
70 p. m.-All through this first
night in the Atlantic the ordinary
airship routing of navigating, steer
ing and elevating, also maintaining
the engines in smooth running order,
goes on watch and watch, as in the
daytime.
"The night is very dark. The air