AIRSHIP IN GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18996, 18 April 1925, Page 9

AIRSHIP IN GALE.

'133 BREAKS AWAY.

BATTLE WITH THE STORM.

ACROSS THE NORTH SEA. THRILLING ADVENTURES. SAFE RETURN EXPECTED. By Telccraph—Press Association—Copy right. (Received 9.10 p.m.) Renter.—A. and N.Z. LONDON. Apl. 16. Tho British airship R33, broke from her mooring-mast at Pulham at tea o'clock yesterday morning during a terrific gale. Sho was carried over tho North Sea, and she has had a very thrilling experience, but tho latest reports arc to the effect that she is surviving tho storm, and that sho will make a safe return. • Tho airship was seen near Lowestoft and seemed to be attempting to combat tho wind. She passed over Lowestoft followed by a fierco south-westerly gale. Her propellers were working, but tho mooring ropes wero hanging down and lashing about. The R33 proceeded in a north-easterly direction, and right out to sea, and was soon lost sight of in the distance. A motor lifeboat and gunboat followed immediately. The Air Ministry afterwards announced that R33 was communicating by wireless with Pulham, and had been instructed to attempt to proceed as far cis possible on a northerly course, in order that she might be able to return to Pulham or Cardington with tho wind, which it was thought by evening probably would have veered northwards. Tho coxswain of the motor lifeboat which followed R33, on returning to Lowestoft, said hs first noticed the airship when it dropped a white light, which was a signal of distress. He immediately mustered his crew and proceeded to sea. 1 Tho airship was 10,000 ft. up, broadside to the wind, and driving eastwards. There wero frequent rain-squalls, and the visibility "was bad. Tho wind was blowing 60 miles an hour, and tho sea was very rough. When 17 miles out tho gunboat overtook the lifeboat, which then returned. The airship then was apparently on a level keel and going before tho wind. The coxswain was of tho opinion that Hie crew intended to make an attempt to land oil the Dutch coast. A Surprising Mishap. The mishap is regarded as most surprising, because she safely rode out the gale all night long. . Fortunately, her first officer, Lieutenant Booth, is aboard, as well as a wireless operator. The earliest reports indicated that the airship's cose was tornr off. It subsequently was ascertained that the top of the mooring mast broke off. It was dangling from the airship's nose. R33 was driven broadside before tho galo at the lowest. altitude, arid it was feared that she would foul some of tho houses in Harleston. When tho airship was over Lowestoft ! tho wind tilted her end-up, and she almost fell into the, sea. She afterwards disappeared behind a "ram blanket." Control was then regained, and all the engines wero running. The sloop Godetia kept her in sight for a long distance. She appeared to be facing the difficulties well, and wirelessed "0.K." Sho was instructed to follo%v the course of the wind until sho was able to turn homewards. In the Vicinity ol Holland. Advices from Holland stated that tho wireless station at Rotterdam located R33 by wireless in tho vicinity of the Island of Terschelling, ten miles off the Dutch coast, where an aeroplane was encircling her. The wind had veered and eased, and Iter course had been altered. Tho wireless operator subsequently reported that the ship was under perfect control. She was doing 35 miles an hour, and was then 75 miles north-west of Amsterdam, or 120 miles from Pulham. A message from Hague stated that the British Government had requested permission for 833 to land at the Schoesterberg aerodrome, for which the ' airship was believed to be making. She was sighted off Zandvoort flying low, with her lifeboats ready, but she later rose over Leiden. Hazardous Task at Sea. The whole country was thrilled by tho airship's adventure, but tho utmost confidence was shared by tho experts that sho would make a safe return. The severity of the gale throughout the country has helped the public to realiso the crew's peril. In crossing tho Channel steamers faced a 60-miles-an-hour gale, whilo Liverpool recorded gusts reaching a velocity of 83 miles an hour. Throughout the day and night messages r?ached Pulham from the airship, telling the story of the crew's experiences. These messages stated that when tho airship broke avvay she carried with her four mooring wheels, each weighing half a ton, two being affixed forward and two aft, at tho end of steel cables 100 ft. long. It was necessary that these weights should bo cut adrift if the ship was to outride the storm. When off Lowestoft a member of the craw, in order to cut the cables, hung over the airship in a most precarious position, hundreds of feet above tho wattr. His legs wero held by a comrade, and he worked with a steel-cutting chisel and hammer until tho cables were severed. Tho wheels then dropped like bombs into tho sea. How the Airship Broke Away, An eye-witness, describing the breaking away of tho airship, said: "I was working near tho mooring mast when R33 was suddenly carried off by the wind. She took with her tho mooring arm and wheels, to which she was fastened below. Tht< airship, owing to tho storm, had beou manned by an emergency crew throughout the night. This crew was relieved an hour before tho ship broke away. Directly the slup began to riso I saw Lieut. Booth look over the side of the control car to see what had happened. lio was most amazingly quick in giving ciders, for the crew dropped the water ballast and got the port engine going in less than a minute. "The trailing wheels missed tho airship shed only by a few feet, and also narrowly missed tho dwolling of a meadiM- of the crew, whose wife was surprised to see tho airship sailing away. " Commander Fellowe3 spent the ir.orning «i Pulham in examining tho mooring mast.

He said that a piece of metal concealed a spot that had rotten during tho past five years. He added that the auslr.p bad plenty of food and sufficient ft - as for a twodays' vcyago. There was, moreover, a parachuto for every man. Struggling Against the Gale. The Air Ministry is in regular contact with the airship R33, which has sent the following wireless message:—"Quite well. Will mako for England when the wind moderates." At midnight tho airship was gallantly battling against the gale. The airship, which is filled with inflammable gas. carries a complete crew of 28. Sho is commanded by the first officer, Flight-Lieutenant Booth. The crew includes Corporal Potter, survivor of tho R3B disaster. Tho Pulham aerodrome is illuminated, and the landing crew of 300 is keeping an all-night vigil in readiness for tho airship's arrival, Lieut, Booth evidently is determined not to descend on the Continent, though precautionary arrangements for that purpose were made with Holland, France, and Germany. Messages from Holland state that the 1133 was signalling every quarter of an hour, thus enabling the Wallhaven, Croydon, and Pulham nerodromes to locate her position. Apparently there is no professional wireless operator aboard. Tho wireless bearings show that the airship is moving against tho gale, and that, therefore, the engines aro still working. Damage to Ship's Nose. A wireless message was picked up from tho Japanese steamer Amazon Maru, stating that tho R33 was driving toward Foct Egmond, near Alkmaar (Holland), with her nose crushed in, and that she required assistance. Tho entiro staffs of tho Dekody and Socsterberg aerodromes aro mobilised to assist the R33 in landing if necessary, but she has changed her direction southward. The engines are apparently working well. The Air Ministry subsequently announced that the 1133 had sent by wireless tho following message at 11.5 p.m.:— "My position is 14 miles, 255 degrees, compass bearing from Ymuiden. Making somo headway. Please closo and show searchlight." Another message sent a few minutes later to Pulham reported:—"Wind movement confirmed. Progress being made. Send forecast." A later rnessago from Amsterdam stated that the R33 had sent a message to the Wallhavcn aerodrome, stating that she has enough petrol to last for 24 hours. The noso of the airship is severely damaged, but a forced landing in Holland is not considered necessary—in any case not before dawn. Tho airship, it was added, hoped to reach Calais to-morrow morning. ON HOMEWARD JOURNEY FORTY MILES FROM COAST. THE GALE DYING DOWN. (Received 11.50 p.m.) Reuter. LONDON. Apl. 17. The Air Ministry has announced that R33 is reported to have crossed the Dutch coast, and is proceeding west north-west at a speed of between five and 10 knots, Tho Admiralty has instructed the sloop Godetia to accompany her homeward across tho North Sea. The gale, which reached a velocity of 100 miles an hour in some places, has subsided considerably. Tho R33, which was in touch with the Air Ministry all night, reported at 10 o'clock this morning that sho was 40 miles from Lowestoft. The British dirigible, R33, recently accomplished a notable night flight lasting 15 hours, then returning safely to her mooring mast at Pulham. A feature of the flight, in which over 800 miles was covered, was that, owing to tho sudden rolling-up of a great area of fog, tho dirigible was navigated for BJ, hours entirely by wireless, its bearings being picked up from directionfinding stations at Pulham and Croydon. Corporal Potter, a survivor , of the dirigible R3B, which was destroyed at Hull in 1921, previously steered R33 under the command of the trans-Atlantic pilot, Scott from Cardington to Pulham, where it was moored to a mast, thus successfully completing the first British airship flight since tho Hull disaster. Corporal Potter is a member of the crew that has just had such a thrilling adventure over the North Sea.