Airmen Attempted Atlantic Flight Twenty Years Ago

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7412, 20 December 1930, Page 14

Airmen Attempted Atlantic Flight Twenty Years Ago

DIRIGIBLE “AMERICA’S” THRILLING STORY

ITOBER 16 last was the 20th anniversary of man’s first attempt to fly the Atlantic. This essay •was undertaken in the dirigible America, which started at Atlantic City and came to an end 1000 miles out at sea. The attempt was unsuccessful, but it demonstrated the practicability of a flight at any rate from Newfoundland to Ireland even at that date —1910, writes a correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian.” The only Englishman on board the America was Commander Murray Simon, R.N., with whom I had a most fascinating talk on his experience. He ■was a junior officer on a British liner lying in New York, and hearing that the America wanted a navigating officer he volunteered for the position and was immediately engaged. Later ho joined the navy, serving during the war. In the course of his story to me when I met him in London, he said: Unforeseen things prevented us starting earlier than October (1910) in the America in the attempt to fly the Atlantic. We aimed to start in September, instead of which we were not ready until October. This made us late for an Atlantic flight. The ship was commanded by the explorer, Walter Wellman, who had tried to get to the North Pole. We started from Atlantic City in dense fog; otherwise conditions were perfect. We made good progress for 24 hours, everything functioning perfectly. Lightening the Ship. At the end of 24 hours the wind

freshened considerably, approaching gale force, leading to the equilibrator pulling the ship down on to the sea. To save the ship and ourselves we had to jettison petrol and anything we could. We realised on the second day that with the equilibrator the flight ■was hopeless—theory and practice did not coincide. On the second night wo proceeded to break up our engines to lighten the ship against the contraction of the gas. On the morning of the third day it was calm and hot, and the ship started to creep out of the water, and up until we reached a height of 3SOO l'eet. She was then checked at the gas valves, hydrogen was let out, though it was really our life blood, and then she started to fall like a stone. But the equilibrator, which had spoiled our chance of getting across, saved our lives by taking the sea first. It weighed two tons, and as soon as it touched the water that weight was taken off the ship. The life-boat then hung about six feet above the sea. After first striking the sea the ship rebounded like a rubber ball, and up we went again for 500 feet. Then up and down we went until she reached equilibrium. Engine Thrown Overboard. On the third evening, after having lost so much gas, we had to throw overboard the remainder of the engine to keep the ship afloat, and during the night we realised that the following morning before the sun got any height we would have to abandon the shin. We got in the life-boat, and at dawn on the fourth morning the steamship Trent was sighted. A flare

was burnt to attract attention. We then got into communication by means of a Morse lamp. The wireless operator of the Trent was called—we had wireless —and then we communicated with the Trent by wireless. She told us she ‘would stand by and pick us up. As soon as there was sufficient daylight we opened the gas valves ana let the ship come down near the sea We were then about GO feet high. We launched the boat. We were drifting broadside at a rate of about 16 knots, so you can imagine there was a splash when we touched water. However we were picked up, and later, when the boat was brought alongside the Trent, a stowaway tabby cat which we had had with us, and which we had placed in a watertight compartment was saved as well.

What happened to the dirigible? Well, we thought she had been lost, but some time afterwards I heard that Savage Landor had discovered that in tho dense forests of South America the natives spoke of some wonderful monstrosity of a bird which they had seen some years before. I should not he surprised if that was the America or part of it. As Commander Simon had spoken of the flight having demonstrated the practicability of an Atlantic flight, I asked him if he had taken any steps toward making another attempt. He replied, “Yes. I brought the matter before Sir Tbomas Lipton, and bo referred me to Lord Dewar. However, nothing came of it.” lie then went on to describe the technical details of tlie America, and spoke highly of the swivelled propeller, which was the invention of Vaniman. the chief engineer, “This propeller,’ he said, “could’ be used at any angle. Its normal use was driving us ahead, hut it could be used to elevate or depress the ship. And I think the invention could be used with very great advantage in modern airships.”