The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-16
ZR-3 Ends Her S, OOO-Mile
Trip In Record Making Time
Giant Zeppelin Is Brought To Rest Off Lake
hurst Hangar Without Mishap

discovered, enough air might have found
its way into the cell to form a danger
Gus mixture of gas AMI also to reduce
the lifting power of the cell. 1t is there
fore standard practice to have men care
fully inspect the bottoms of the gas
cells-the only part they can see-dur-
ing each considerable gain or loss of
altitude by the airship.
"At q height of five thousand feet,
down to 1000 feet, we were approached
Picou Island, and all we could see Of
the island was Its peak, triangular in
outline, projecting above the clouds.
From 800 we were passing through and
over the Island of the Azores.
Exercise Provided
Calamity overlook US earlier in the
day. The wash water gave out. We
have Joined the. ranks of the unwashed
and unshaved, The commissary prom
fses to ration sufficient water for a
shave just before landing-if we land
soon enough. He is meanwhile furnish
ing good, hot meals and we are at least
well fed. We are well housed, too !;
and anyone who will make couple of
trir5 day through the corridor from
the depths the lower fin, need not
|
1.-The night of the thirteenth was
marked by adverse winds of consider
able strength. AS soon as weather re-
ports came in next morning it was de-
cided to head up to the northwest. In
the meanwhile steamer seen on the
| horison was asked for her position, and
the ZR-3 found herself according to
the steamer, about 100 miles to the
northward of her assumed position.
Communication was also established
with the cruiser Detroit and with all
the available data as guide the course
was laid northwest.
AT about half past nine we passed
directly above the steamer Robert Dol
lar. She hoisted her number in flags
and ran up the British ensign. The
ZR-3 then began to climb and rose to a
height of about 5000 feet. This was
to lift the safety valves again. The
result was about 5 per cent loss of ny
drogen from tile gas cells, leaving them
so per cent full. About half of the fuel
supply still remains, enough for 56
hours running with four of the five en-
gines at $50 r. p. m, which gives
about 81 knots.
Relieved From Heat
"The trip above the clouds gave tenn
por9ry relief from the summer tempera'
ture we have had. 1t was rs degrees
in the cabin last night and continued
warm today. Early in the afternoon
fog was encountered and for several
hours the ship ran close to the surface
of the sea, the better to judge the di-
rection and force of the wind by OBJ
serving the waves. Then she climbed
above the fog, which was only 800 or
900 feet high, and ran thus until dark
ness obscured the surroundings. We
felt a sympthy for the vessels in the fog
we have been there, in surface ships
yourselves, and this fog extended over
400 miles.
"When I came on watch last mid
night the ZR-3 was. skirting theNsouth-
east coast of Nova Scotia. 1t was a
cold, bright night, decided change from
Island was passed and the ship headed
the night before. At 10 a. M, Seal
across the Gulf of Maine toward Bos-
ton. The position was occasionally
checked by bearings from radio com
pass stations along the shore.
Cape Cod light was passed abeam
mt 10 a. M, eastern standard time
and soon afterwards the ship was sail
ing over Boston. 1t was sight to swell
the bosom of returning American, ant
one never to be forgotten Millions Of
lights. If one looked closely downward
one could see the buildings, but looking
slantwise nothing but lights"