The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-05
BRITISH AIR GIANT
MAY FLY OVER CITY
Continued from First Page.

before alightlng there. But this was
admittedly conjecture-as was nearly
everything else last night concerning
the time of the Rests arrival. The
best that the air experts at Roosevelt
Field could do in the demonstrating
line was to say that they expected her
some time between A. NJ and noon
to-day. -gs.
The flight over the city Is likely, It
was pointed out, II she bowls along
above Long Island and reaches Roose-
welt Field after the sun is well up. In
that event il is expected that the heat
will be sufficient to make landing a
dangerous and difficult proposition until
perhaps the latter part OF the afternoon.
The trip TO town, 1t is argued by the
officers, would be n logical method OF
employing the time. and it is by no
means an unlikely occurrence.
Radio operators at Roosevelt, Mitchell
and Hazelhurst fields were eagerly watt
ing some message from the R-34 last
night. Up to a late hour nothing had
been received there. 1t was known that
the idea of calling at st. Johns NJ F.,
had been abandoned and that she was
scudding along somewhere in the thou
sand mile air lane between that city and
Mineola, but no one would venture a
prediction as to Just where. Wireless
messages were being constantly sent out
for distance OF 500 mites from tho
three radio stations, and it was believed
that they were practically certain to
elicit some response during the night
During her run across the Atlantic the
R-34 made between 80 and 40 miles an
hour. using but three of her five motors.
The other two were held in reserve in
case of accident TO the others, or in the
event that strong head winds were en-
countered. With the most dangerous
part OF the voyage completed. it was be-
lieved that the dlrigibis was making a
FAR higher rate OF speed down the coast,
probably using all five of her motors.
Despite the likelihood of fast time. Major
scott in command at Roosevelt Field
said last night that he didn't look for
the British flyers to reach there before
noon to-day
Brig. Gen. Leo Charlton, the British
Air Attache at Washington. was at
, Roosevelt Field yesterday with Lieut.
Col. Frederick Lucas. of the Royal Air
Force, who is irectlng the arrange
ments for the landing Major Hugh
Fuller also of the British aerial service
has immediate charge and is being as
sisted by Lieut. Charles @. Little and
Lieut.. H. w. Hoyt of the United States
Naval Air Force
The 700 soldiers and 100 sailors who
are to bring the dirigible down to her
| anchorage were drilled yesterday after
noon in their part of the difficult pro-
gramme by Lieut.. i. ]. Quinn, who is
commanding officer Of the Yankee blimp
ca at Rockaway. Lieut.. Quinn gave a
| lecture to his men on the field and then
issued and had executed the various
orders which will be necessary Moth
mo- f ha hau kn.
in this country before, but motion pic
lures of how landings are accomplished
| in England have been run of before the
men for their enlightenment
There were 100000 cubic feet Of
hydrogen. filling 5000 tanks, piled upon
Roosevelt Field last night. awaiting the
R-S4's appearance. She has a capacity
of 1000, 900 feet. There were also 5000
gallons OF gasoline and 500 gallons Of
oil in readiness
so far as we are concerned" said
Gen. Charlton last night, ,"all possible
preparations have been made. Every
| thing is ready down to the last shoe
lace. Rest rooms have heen provided
and the work of making the R-34 ready
to start out again can be begun i'm
medistely after she gets here.
1T believe IT is fair to estimate that
she will arrive between 4 and a. NJ.
Saturday. II she comes later than s
A. NJ. she may have to hold of and not
land until late afternoon. Everything
depends upon the condition of the ship.
however II the commander lets US
know by radio that he thinks it advis-
able to land we will try It,
1.-THE danger rs due TO the fact that
the lower stratas OF air are much hotter
| than those above. The heat expands
the hydrogen and tends to force the
drigibe upward. 1t also congresses
the gas and there is likelihood that It
may become ignitsd, II is always better
to land early in the morning or late in
the afternoon. II is not as hot then and
the wind is not apt TO be as nigh, as II
frequently comes UP and goes down With
the sum"
II is perfectly possible, as matter
of fact for the R-3i to land at Roose-
Welt Field at any hour OF the night. A
naval captive balloon was mocred ahov"
the field last night with n searChlight
from the ground fixed upon her, Twen-
ty-hve or thirty other searchlights
made the surroundings as light as day
and any difficulty due to darkness sim
ply did not exist.
More than 1000 military police are on
duty at the field to handle the crowds,
Many automobiles were parked there
| last evening. their OCCUPANTS planning
on spending the night in waiting. Hun
dreds Of holiday sightseers also made
| the field their Mecca yesterday despite
the heat. Most Of them were buoyed
up by the monetary hope that the huge
bulk of the British air ship would come
| into view and scores of field glasses
swept the Eastern horizon IN vain.
Although visitors are to be allowed
I TO pass the fence which encloses Roose-
Welt Field. the landing place has been
roped of and they will not be permitted
TO come within a quarter Of "A mile Of it,
Nothing Is known as yet as TO how
, long the R-Si will remain at Mineola
Iieut,-Col. Lucas has indicated that It
nigh, not be moro than seven or eight
hours II the weather is favorable she
will. in all probability. fly from Roose-
welt field to Washington. soaring over
lSat city. Baltimore, Atlantic City and
Philadelphia en- route
The naval blimp ca at Rockaway was
being held last night in readiness to
start instantly for Montauk Point 10
| escort the R-S4 to Mineola. A small
naval blimp Is also to put out from
Montauk Point TO greet the historic
visitor, orders have been issued pro-
hibiting airplanes from flying above the
R-S4 or approaching near her. This Is
to avoid all possibility OF aerial coll
lisions or fire
Visitors at Roosevelt Field Yesterday
included Rear Admiral James n. Glen
non, commanding tho Tbi-d %uyll dis
iriet, and CAPT. T r ora on, dice itpi