Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-07-07
Hazardous Voyage
icortiNued from Pace Ona)

(Continued from Pa9e VneJ
from the forward end Of the elr'glhle
and her nose tipped and landing par
tres grasped them Is the water oai'
Last was dropped from the stern. In
both operations at bow and stern the
,aneing crews were drenche,: by the
cuscading water. Major Scott direct
Stl all the details Of the landing ana
II was carried out as smoothly as
though the inexperienced landing
cre~ had been anchoring diris'oles
all their lives.
The hawsers were attached to con-
crete blocks. two at each end ana
one at either side in the center. Wnen
the great ship was safely anchored
all the ropes except the one at her
nose were cut loose so that she could
swing with the wind like a ship at
anchor. The landing crew will stand
by all through the night to hold her
safe.
The first man to step ashore was
Major Scott. He obviously was tired
out but happy. On his face was sew
eral days growth of beard and he
showed plainly the strain he had
been under. He wore the regular air
costume Short and chunky and typ
ically British. the military skipper
of the huge airship shook hands
with General Lionel E. o. Charlton.
British air attache in the United
States. who was waiting for him.
There was no demonstration and
the two ofhcers met as casually as
though the trip had. been across the
English channel.
| Brigadier Gen. E. NJ. Maitland. D.
S. o.. observer for the British air
ministry. was the next to step out
Of the car. He looked fresher than his
companions. for he had no duties on
the way across except to keep the
ships log. He sad he had slept we'll
and he had taken time to shave. He
wore an officers cap. a top coat. wool
en- breeches and felt shoes. His only
regret seemed TO be that the R-s4
had caused anxiety by sending out
the wireless calls saying assistance
might be needed"
1t. Commander Zachary Lands.
downe. the American observer, looked
almost as hasgard as Major Scott.
VINO ne had assisted all the way
across. The same was true Of the 9TH
er hVe ofrcers and the % men of
the crew
The man Of the R-s4 were greeted
by Gen. Charlton. 1t, Col. Frederick
w. Lucas and Major Hugh Fuller.
representing the British government,
and by Rear Admiral Glennon and
Major Gen. Mencher representing the
American navy and war departments.
as well as by 1t. L. B. Clarke, U. 8.
n. designated to receive from Gen.
Maitland the log of the trip.
| "Alrs well that ends WE'LL" was the
greeting Of Admiral Glennon before
he read an official message Of well
come from Secretary Of the NAVY
Daniels, welcoming the R-34 to the
United States and extending warm
est congratulations upon her wonder.
full achievement.
! All the air voyagers were In exce,.
lent physical condition except that
they were very tired. They suffered
no hardships except lack Of sleen
lhere was plenty of food and water
ana II was not necessary to reduce
the ration Of either notwithstanding
the Unexpectedly long voyage.
General Maitland announced thar
the return trip would be begun at 4
A. NJ. Tuesday because the orders
from the air ministry are to return
as soon as the ship can be made
ready. Full supplies Of petrol. oil
hydrogen. food and water were readv
at the landing field and the work Of
putting them aboard was begun al.
most as soon as the dirigible was an.
chored. The work will he continued
through the night under the glare Of
huge searchlights.
As the R-34 passed. over Lons Ia.
land she was followed by a steadily
engineering procession of automo-
| olIes' The stream OF motor cars was
soon augmented from all directions
ana all day long thousands of cars
passed in and out Of the fields ad.
joining that in which the airshin was
anchored. Thousands Of other sight.
seers went to the field hy every
means available and mary Uho
could not find anything in which to
ride, walk from the nearest railroad
stations.
The almost insuperable atros.
pneric difticulties encountered nv the
R-S4 were illustrated strikinelv nv an
entry in the Official log which shows
tnat u Q. II. Cooke. the navigator. on
one occasion clameered s. feet TO
the very tcp Of the ship to use the
sextant for an observa ton Of the
sun and to take the cloudy horizon
Ieliins OF the weather difficulties. II
Harris, the neteorologist, said:
we mad no really bad weather un.
til we reached point off the coast
OF New Foundland. when we ran in.
to shallow atmospheric depression
There was everything-heayy rain
thick fog. and low visibility. We
were up over the fog at an altitude
of 3,7oo feet. and at that level We
were between two layers Of clouds.
The lower level was a heavy rain
cloud.
Last night the weather was tar.
rible. 1t seemed as though the AZ.
mosphere was haunted by 5000 dew.
lis and we were shaken to the core.
The ship seemed as though she was
going to break into bits, raising and
railing like a cork on a heavy sea.
At times I believe she stood I'm "A
degrees into the air. didn't get a
bit of sleep last night-in fact, none
Of US did. ] did not sleep more than
twelve hours on the entire trip.
Il have had rather extensive az.
perience with weather conditions IN
the Atlantic and expected bad wealth