The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-22
BOTTLE OF LIQUID
AIR BROKEN OVER
ATRCRAFT'S PROV
italian Ambassador Was Guest
at Ceremonies and Partici-
pated in Exercises.
MONSTER SHIP BROUGHT
FROM LANGLEY FIELD
Fought Against Strong Head
Wind for Five and a Half
Hours Making JOurnay.
lnn rhe AssoeIated Pressl


t5y The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-The 400
foot army airship Roma fought her
way for five hours and a half against
a head wind from Langley Field, Va,
to washington today to be christened
and put in commission officially by
Miss. Fonrose Wainwright, daughter Of
the assistant secretary Of war, who
broke a boottle Of liquid air on the
great semi-rigid airship's PROV.
Secretary Weeks, Secretary DENLY
and senor Ricci. the italian ambas-
sador, who participated in the cere-
monies waited for three hours in the
chilling winds which blew from the
northwest for the ship TO arrive. They
we're to have taken a flight in her Of
an hour or two over the city and TO
Baltimore with other invited guests
but the wind was rising steadily with
gale proportions threatening, and Ma
ior General Patrick, chief of the army
air service, ordered the Roma back to
her hangar at Langley Field as soon
as she could ibe refueled.
The great dolphin-llSe craft of the
air arrived at Boiling Field at noon
and left al two-thirty, hurrying home
with the wind behind her In two hours
and forty minutes.
A crowd OF guests and officers Of the
air service awaited the arrival Of the
army's new semi-rigid, the largest
lighter sthan-air ship IA this country
at Boiling Field from nine o'clock, inn
patiently stamping their feet and
trudgng back and forth in an effort to
keep warm. Flights Of planes left the
field from time to time to search out
the great ship, which was continually
reported by radio as approaching from
the southeast, but did not appear. FL
nally she was reported as over Alex
andria, progressing slowly against a
stiff head wind, with three Of her mo-
tors frozen up. Suddenly toward the
southeast there appeared a great dull
gray shape scarcely distinguishable
against the slate colored sky. 1t was
the Roma massive, fat dirigible
moving little toward the east, slowly
and majestically lifting her nose over
the encircling hills. Gradually her
bulk doomed up. and she swung toward
the west heading directly fer the field,
with her motors roaring deafeningly.
Approaching quite low. she seemed
to barely miss the trees and hangers
as she pushed against the wind and
finally reaching the center Of the field
put her nose down and slowly settled.
A door in the ''V' shaped keel near
the bow fled open and great coil OF
rope dropped to the handling crew
below. All hands took hold, and slow
ly the great craft came to earth. The
wind sweeping from the north and
west swung the great ship back and
forth as the men strained at the rope.
while wires with cables attached were
dropped out Of ports along the keel
to other mon who stood by to steady
the ship Leveling off but under the
blast OF her propelers she settled on
her bumpers" and was landed But
she never stayed still a minute, sway
ing gack and forth and carrying the
men cllnging to the ropes with her.
Fitting ceremonies followed the
christening by Miss Wainwright, who
stood on q step-ladder undeA me great
curving bows as she broke the bottle
OF liquid air, which flew into bluisn
grew cloud OF vapor as the glass
crashed. The old ensign was then re-
placed by a new one presented by the
Italians and hoisted high on the stine |
over her course box like rudder.
Speaking for the Italian government
where the ship was designed and
built. Ambassador Ricci expressed his /
pleasure that America should have
bought the great semi rigid ship. and
Secretary Weeks. in accepting it Of !
ficially for the war department. said
ts-s pleasure and opportunity were |
rather his, and that the army should !
be so fortunate in securing a ship de-
veloped by the skin of Itatlian crafts
men. Major X. q. Thorneu and his |
staff OF pilots and nav1gators were |
also thanked personally by Secretary
Weeks for their successful trip, de-
spite their handicap OF an adverse
wind and disabled motors.
After the christening the color pre-
sentation took place. Assistant Secre- /
tary wainwright replying TO Lieuten-
ant General Guieseppe vaccari, who
spoke about cordial relations between /
Italy and America, as he presented the
new United States ensign for the
Roma General Patrick then ordered |.
Continued on Page % 4