New-York tribune., 1921-12-22
Christen Roma
After 5-HOur
Battle i'm Gale
Arrny's Craft. Largest Lighter
Than Air Flyer, Baptized
in Liquid Air and Off
cially Put in Commission
Miss W ainwright Omciates
AmbassadorRicci and Guests
Have LongWaitWhiIe Dir
ieibIe Fights Head Winds

WASHINGTON, Dec 21-Thc 400
foot army airship Roma fought her
wav for five hours and half against g.
head wind in making voyage from
langley Field, Virginia, to Washing
ton to-day, TO BE christened and put in
commission officially by Miss Fonrose
Wainwright, daughter of the Assistant
Seeretary Of War. Mss Wainwright
aroke bottle of liquid air on the
great semi-rigid airship's PROV
Secretary Weeks, Secretary DENLY
and Senator Ricci, the Italian Ambas-
sader, who participated in the cere-
monies. waited for three hours in chilli
ing winds which blew from the north
west for the ship TO arrive. They were
10 have taken fight 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 proper
tons threatening, and Major General
Patrick caief Of the army air service,
ordered the Roma pack to her hangar
a. Langley Field as soon as she could
be refueled
The great dolphin-like craft arrived
At Boiling Field at noon and left at
$50, scurrying home with the wind
behind her in two hours and forty
minutes.
Planes Search Skies
A crowd Of guests and officers of the
two air services awaited the arrival of
the army's new semi-rigid, the largest
at Boiling Field from o'clock, I'M
-, i,
trudging hack and forth in an effort
to keep warm. Planes left the field
from time TO time to pick UP" the
great ship which was continually re-
ported by radio as approaching from
the southeast, but did no.. appear.
Finally she was reported "a l-ser Alex
audri~- progressing slowly against a
stiff head wind. with three of her mo-
tors frozen up.
SudG-nly. toward the southwest,
there appeared q great, dull gray shape,
scarcely distinguishable against the
slate colored sky. 1t was the Roma--a
massive. fat dirigible, moving a little
toward the east. slowly and majesti-
cally lifting her nose over the en-
circling hills. Gradually her bulk
loomed up and she swung toward the
Tes,, heading directly for the field,
with her motors roaring deafeningly.
Approaching quite low, she seemed
barely TO miss the trees and hangers
as she pushed against the wind, and,
finally reaching the center of the field,
rut her nose down and slowly settled
Keeps Swaying
4 door in the ''V" shaped keel near
the bow few open and great coil of
rope dropped to the handling" crew
Below. All hands took hold and 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
stay wires with cables attached were
dropped out of ports along the keel to
other men who stood by to steady the
ship. Leveling of, but under the blast
Of her propellers, she settled on her
bumpers" and was landed. But she
never stayed still minute, swaying
back and forth and carrying the men
einging TO the ropes with her.
Fitting ceremonies followed the
christening by Miss Wainwright. An
cid ensign was replaced by new one
presented By the italians and hoisted
hgh on the stern over the Romas
curious boxlike rudder.
HP~"ni-Ar lVA ILc 1tdiidQ government
and Italy, where the ship was designed
and built, Ambassador Ricci expressed
MS pleasure that America should have
bought the great semi-rigid ship, and
Secretary Weeks. in accepting it off
elally for the War Department, said
the. pleasure and opportunity were
rather his, that the army should be so
fortunate IN obtaining a ship developed
BY the skill of Italian craftsmen.
Major j. G. Thornell and his staff of
Pilots and navigators also were
thanked personally by Secretary Weeks
Tor their successful trip, despite their
handicap of an adverse wind and dis
abled motors
After the christening the color pres
eatation took place, Assistant Secre-
'ary Wainwright replying to Lieuten-
ant General Giuseppe Vaccari.
General Patrick then ordered the
held cleared and the ship gassed and
ieoalanced for homeward flight. AS
Inc motors were tuned up the handling
crew eased UP on the hauling cable
sad the big ship rose slowly on an even
As soon as she was clear of the
ground the ''let go" signal was given
and the cables hauled up. She slowly
lOFged ahead into the wind, turning
!, The southeast as she reached the
cage OF the field At height of few
hunured feet the engines were snaedad