The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1921-08-24
PERHSOF SEA
AND OF THE AIR
WILL Be FACED
BY THE OFFICERS AND THE
CREW OF THE ZR-2, ABOUT
TO CROSS THE AT
LANTIC.

which is about to cross the Atlantic
from England to America, Just as
they were faced by the dauntless men
of the R-34, but by reason of the in
creased size of the more modern air
ship, its greater speed and more
comfortable arrangements, many of
the hardships of the pioneer flyers, it
is hoped, will be avoided.
The British R-34, the first dirigi-
Bile to cross the Atlantic, started from
East Fortune, Scotland, on July /,
1919 and landed at Roosevelt Field,
Mineola, L. l., on the morning of July
6, covering the 5000 miles in 108
hours and II minutes. She left New
York on the return trip to Scotland on
July 9 and reached her home port
few days later. On January 29, 1921,
the historic craft which had cost more
than $1,000,000 to build was cut al
most in two by a violent wind and
left a wreck outside her aerodome
near Edinburgh.
While every precaution is being
taken TO safeguard the ZR-2, it is re-
called that despite elaborate arrange
ments two years ago, the men of the
R-34 passed through narrowing hours
when the leviathan of the clouds ran
into a shallow atmospheric depres-
sion off the coast of Newfoundland.
They were then within a few hundred
miles of their goal,
"The weather was terrible" said
Major G. II. Cooke, the navigating
officer of the R-34. at seemed as
though the atmosphere was haunted
by 5000 devils. We were shaken to
the core. That night we hit every
thing-heavy rain, thick fog and low
visibility. The ship seemed as though
she was going to break into bits, ris
ing and falling like cork on heavy
sea. At times she seemed to stand
up 80 degrees into the air.
"All had been fine sailing up to
that time. The most unusual thing
about the entire trip was the extreme
violence of the bumps in regions
where they were totally unexpected.
| considered it almost a miracle that
we completed the trip successfully
after what we went through. The
weather situation on the Atlantic
must be Investigated thoroughly be-
fore air travel between England and
America can be made safe and prac-
ticable. With the limited information
we have now, transatlantic travel is
highly dangerous"
The ZR-2, however, will be protect
ed all the way across by six weather
vessels each carrying special staff
of forecasters who will radio the di-
rigible all the atmospheric and baro-
metric data necessary to assure her
of the easiest possible sailing route.
Certain defects of the R-34 also
have been avoided in the new craft
which is Al feet longer than the ear
lier ship and seven feet greater in
diameter. 1t also has a gas capacity
of 2,70O,0O cubic feet as against the
R-34s 100000, total horsepower
of 2,1OO as compared with the R-34s
1850 and cruising endurance" of
5000 miles at 60 miles an hour. The
R-34 at full speed had cruising rad
ius of little more than 4,9OO miles.
Aboard the R-34's gondolas, the
five cars suspended from the airships
framework, the living conditions were
not so comfortable as provided on the
ZR-2, The R-34, however, had sleep
ing accommodation for the officers
and crew and an electrical appara-
tus whereby meals could be cooked
Hot water was obtained from the ra-
diators on the motors. All the gon-
dolas we're enclosed and the men were
able 10 keep warmer than if they
had been flying in an airplane. A
wireless set in the forward car with
a range of about 1900 miles enabled
the R-34 to keep in touch with the
shore almost the entire way across
A still stronger apparatus has been
installed in the ZR-2.
Seen in flight the zR-2 closely re-
sembles her sister ship, the R-Si, but
her improvements are concealed amid
a bewildering confusion of aluminium
girders, rows of gasoline and water
tanks, acres of fabric gas bags and a
miscellany of guy wires, control
valves. pipes, swivels and hinges.
A telephone system connects up
the entire ship so that Commander
Maxfield, standing at the wheel in
his cabin, has every part under his
direct and immediate control. Com
Portable hunks are provided for the
off-shift of the 80 officers and men,
instead of hammocks, as provided on
the R-34. Warm meals are also
made possible by system Of cook