The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-07-07
REPAIRS ARE MADE
] UNDER DIFFICULTIES
Great Airship Is Being Re-
strained at Her MOorings
Only With Great Difficult
ty, Hundreds of Men Be-
ing Needed to Keep the
Ship from Escaping.

M1heola, July f.-7tali an npuI ueIoie
The sun rises tomorrow morning, the
giant British dirigble R-34 will cast
field and speed into the east, homeward
bound from her historic flight across the
Atlantic.
The official hour set by her command
or, Major G H. Scott, is a. m, but it
is admittedly dependent on the weather,
which has SO persistently interfered with
the huge airship since she left her haven
at East Fortune, Scotland, on Tuesday
night. An unlocked for change in the
weather viii postpone the departure for
at least day, as Major Scott has an
nounced that no attempt will be made to
start on the return voyage after the
sun is up
President Wilson viii have an oppor-
tunity to view the mammoth traveller of
the skies if she sails on her scheduled
time. Major Scott has planned to di-
verge from his course far enough to pass
over the incoming George Washington,
the presidents ship
As soon as this announcement was
made to-day Vice Admiral Gleaves, com
mander of the cruiser and transport
service of the Atlantic feet flashed the
following message to Captain Edwin
McCauley, commander of the George
Washington:
'Dirigible R-34, en- route to England,
will probably pass over George Wash
ington at noon tomorrow.
On her return. trip, the R-34 will act
r..
ernment. Twenty-Five pounds Of mail
arrived here to-day from Washington,
consigned to Major Scott, and Is more
pounds are expected before night.
The ill.luck against which the super
Zeppelin has so gallantly and success
fully fought since she began her mem
orable voyage pursued her up to to-day,
when sudden violent gust of wind
tore her from her mooring rope and rent
@ great hole in her envelope
The accident, although not serious,
confirmed the determination of her Off
GERS to start for home at the earliest
possible moment. In the great shed at
her home port she is safe from the most
violent storm, while her open.air moor
ings here expose her to damage from
every strong wind.
The commander of the r. "a based his
announcement Of the starting hour on
the assumption that the wind, which at
the time was blowing between 20 and 25
miles an hour, would die down later in
the day and 50 permit the refuelling of
the dirigible.
"We will cruise over Boston" he said,
"and then follow the trans Atlantic trade
l..
cause there we viii find the most fa-
vorable western wind. We had consid-
cred making our start at s o'clock but
we have advanced the time because the
earlier we get away the lower the tenn
perature, and the lower the temperature
the greater amount of petrol we can load.
We can pat in 4,500 gallons, which will
give us nothing to play about with, but
we do not expect to play about, as the
wind will be favorable"
The following wireless message was
delivered to General Chaletont to-day
from the British air ministry:
"Please convey following message to
the United States naval authorities: !:
'Air council desires to express their
most cordial and grateful thanks for the
cooperation and assistance Of the United
States navy rendered to His Majesty Is
airship R-34.' The message was for
warded to Secretary Daniels at Wash
ington.
In order to relieve the 400 soldiers of
the 7th United States balloon company,
who were straining at the anchor ropes
of the R34 during an electrical and wind
storm last night, the big bag was raised
TO obviate the danger of damage from
wind, During this operation rope re-
lea5ing water ballast from an aft COM
partment was released by accident and
the rear Of the bag shot up into the air
to an altitude of some 400 feet. while her
nose was only 200 feet above the field
The R-34 remained in this position
throughout the night and caused NJ il
Scott TO return to the field early to-day
to distribute the water ballast in the bag
to bring her to an even keel again. Ad-
iustments of the ballast had to be ae-
complished before the heat of the sun
caused the gas in the bag to expand.
Members of the crew who remained
last night, explained that the failure OF
the R.34 TO receive proper weather re.
ports caused her to run into two storms
off New Zealand. The weather reports
picked up were from the vicinity of the
Azores Islands, while those from the
north Atlantic region were very meagre
With reports telling of the storm area