The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-07-18
BRITISH AIRSRIP IS .
SAFE At MINE0LA
FROM ACROSS SEA
Huge DirigibIe, First of Kind to
Make Trip-3,2O0 Nautical
Miles in 1O8 Hours.
FOUGHT FOG AND LIGHTNING.
Sudden Arrival Surprise to Hosts.
British Officer Drops in Parachute
to Superintend a Perfect
Landing.

Mineola, n. Y.-The British super
dirigible R-34 completed the first nom
stop westward flight across the At
lantic ocean when she landed at Nine
ola at 10 o'clock Sunday morning, lOS
hours and - minutes after she left
East Fortune, Scotland.
Her arrival marked the first flight
across the Atlantic by lighter-than-
air machine. In this remarkable flight
the worlds largest airship covered
3,2OO nautical miles at an average
speed of 261a knots an hour
Her appearance through the early
mists that hung over Roosevelt Field,
Mineola, was as unexpected as 1t was
dramatic. She came out of the east
northeast, while army and navy Off
cials were still frantically endeavor-
ing to rush assistance to her from the
sea. She landed with but sufficient
fuel to last her another half hour.
The landing at Roosevelt Field was
perfect and took but five minutes after
the first attempt to land was made.
She carried crew of 80 officers and
men and one stowaway.
The mammoth balloon, looking like
a huge flying fish, was sighted in the
distance about o'clock and ID min
utes later was over Roosevelt Field.
She cruised about in a circle at
height of about 1000 feet until word
was telephoned that everything was
in readiness for the landing.
While the R-34 was circling the field
at great height, Major Pritchard
jumped off with parachute. He land
ed safely near headquarters and Smil-
ingly hurried indoors before an am
bulance that had been rushed to the
scene could reach him. This was
nearly a half hour before the dirigible
came to anchor
Lieutenant Hoyt, Z. S. N, the
ground officer had assembled on the
field a force of more than 500 soldiers
and sailors ready for instant action
as the R-34 circled lower and lower.
When she was only 200 feet above the
ground a huge hawser was let go from
under her nose. British noncOmmis-
stoned officers with American soldiers
and sailors shouted gleefully as they
seized the rope and hung on like grim
death.
The water ballast was dropped from
the forward end of the dirigible and
her nose tipped. Then she began to
descend. Five more guide lines were
dropped and landing parties grasped
them as the water ballast was dropped
from the stern. In both operations at
bow and stern the landing crews were
drenched by the cascading water. Ma
jor Scott directed all the details of
the landing, and it was carried out as
smoothly as if the inexperienced land
ing crew had been anchoring dirigi-
bles all their lives.
The hawsers were attached to con-
crete blocks, two at each end and one
at each side in the center. When the
great ship was safely anchored all the
ropes except the ones at her nose were
cut loose so she could swing with the
wind like a ship at anchor.
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 regulation air
costume Short and chunky and typi-
cally 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.