Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-22

full official reports, however, Secreta
had no comment to make.
Immediately on receipt OF the news.
Major General Patrick, chief OF the
air service left for the scene by air.
plane. r-.
Unofficial reports indicated that fail
ure OF ruddcr controls had caused tho
Roma TO become unmanaEcablc a
thousand. or more feet In the air and
plunged carthward. where she struck
high tension electric wires which were
thought to have iEnitcd the hundreds
OF thousands OF cubic feet OF hydrogen
gas which filled the great bag. Pend
ing details from survivors. officers here
accepted this as the probable cxplana-
tior Of the disaster. Until 1t has been
learned definitely what structural de-
feet scnt the chip plunEing down IL
was added. the. lessons to be drawn
from tho accident could not be seen so
far as airship design was concerned.
with several officers Of the ship and
some OF her skilled mechanics among
the survivors. II was hoped that fun
Information would be available. When
tho navy rigid British built airship.
Z-R : came to tragic end thru cx-
plosion in the air during a trial trip
In England, evidence OF the cause OF
the smash had to be sought in the
who could tell what happened. In that
case IL has since been asccrtaincd. the
bucklinE OF a portion OF the frame
work resulted in destruction OF the
ship by explosion in air. Navy Of
ficlals laid emphasis In talking OF the
Rcma's destruction on the point that
had IL been possible TO develop SUI
ficicnt supply OF hclium. the new nom
inflamabie gas first produced during
the war, 10 fill her great bag todays
accident almost certainly would have
been far less terrible. There would
have been no fire after the crash. Mt
least, IL was said. and II WAS tho. ter
rible heat OF tho blazing hydrogen
which apparently brought death to
more than thirty mon.
But so far only sufficient hclium has
been produced to initiate the naval
blimp CT mere pigmy ship OF the
nj; beside the Roma. During tho
Roma's trip in Deccmbrr from Lang
ley field to Washington. to be christ
cncd and formally commissioned in
the army air fleet, she developed
trouble with her original Italian
motors. but otherwise functioncd per
fcctiy Tho ship fought an increasing
hcadwiud all the way and reached
Boiling field with only three OF her six
motors running. She mad so little
power as she approached the landing
guests awaited her that her command
or was compelled to jockey his mon
Stcr craft over the low hills that sur
round tho field with utmost cunning
I, bring her In at all.
Bccausc of tho motor troubles tho
schciucd initial flight OF tho Roma
over Washington with Secretaries
Weeks and DENLY and tho Italian am
bassador in her cabins. as wol1 as SON
ators and members OF the house was
postponed Tho ship went back to
Langley running before the wind and
barely reaching her hangar before
coast gale broke. She remained In the
she'd for many weeks to have her
motors replaced by Liberty engines o!
greater power and more certainty of
performance. Tho flight which proved
hc, tpri, was ono Of those made TO test
her now prcpcllng plant and IT had
been expected she would show greatly
improved speed and mancuvcr ability
Destruction of tho Roma leaves both
tho army and navy without airships
larger than the navy blimps. There
is not now i'm the United States.
rigid or semi-riEid craft even family
resembling tho German Zeppclins that
harrled London time after time dur
ing tho world war.
The ZR-i i- under construction by
the navy. however. and recently ar
rangemcuts were made with the CO.
operation Of tho allied governments
tOMT ase.I no pauutittuDl