The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-08


 The proposed plan to get the giant was abandoned tonight after local weather conditions, which included ad- verse bumpy winds, made 1t impOs- sibie for the dirigibIe's crew to over haul the engines during the afternoon. Without such oyerhauling it would be impracticable for the airship to take off on her venture, as quantities of carbon accumulated in the engines during the 10S hours in which the craft was aloft the unprecedented journey which ended at Roosevelt field Sunday morning.
 Tonight the R-34 swung at ease above this flying ground, her grace ful hulk, scarcely moving in the gen. tie breeze, illuminated by great searchlights which made her visible to thousands of spectators who had come here in motor cars, trains and on foot to watch the early leaving.
 In contract with conditions as the darkness fell on Sunday, the dirigiple was not riding in danger tonight. On Sunday she was suspended with her nose pointed towards the ground and her stern swinging at an altitude sev- eral hundred feet higher, in jeopardy of being dashed to pieces on Roosevelt field This situation does not prevail tonight.
 Shortly before D. m,, the wind hav- ing died down until the atmosphere was list1ess, stream of water de- scended from amidship. As this bal last left the craft the R-S4 moved up- ward slowly.
 From both sides, we'll forward, and from the under surface, also well for ward, three wire cables were con- nected with anchorages on the' ground. The stern was left to swing with whatever breeze might stir during the night. There was no possibility, Major Scott, the commander, said, that the stern would rise, as it did Sunday night until her massive form assumed at times an almost perpendicular posi- ton.
 With the ship aloft, the balloon company doughboys, veterans of the American expeditionary force, found their first relief from many hours of strain and excitement. In crews of 25 each, 10 crews throughout the day had by their own strength kept the dir;g- ible from escaping.
 SUN EXPANDS GAS.
 The rising sun today had expanded the hydrogen with which the big snip had been filled te capacsty last night This expansion added eight tons to the ships lifting capacity and wrenched out the cross girder to which the anchorage ropes were at tached- The breaking of the girder tore hole about four feet square in the outer envelope of the dirigible. put this has been repaired
 At times during the day the ground crews swinging to hand lines from the ship were lifted bodily from their feet as the wind blew the ship about. At no time, however. did the R-34 get beyond the control of her human an- chors.
 Major c E. M Pritchard. executive officer of the dirigible's crew, discuss ing the difficulties in keeping the ship from injury. said:
 We did not come anyway near los ing the ship, and allow me to say that it would have been all right if we had lost it. When we planned to come here the British government asked the United States government to build shed in which to house the ship during her stay in this country. This the United States government refused to do When the British government learned this. it said something equiv- alent to all right
 worth the risk, that it would tend to increase the friendship between the people of the United States and Eng land and that it would be well worth the cost even if the ship were lost, the
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