R 33’s PLIGHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1925, Page 3

R 33’s PLIGHT.

STORY OF CREW’S EXPERIENCES AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONDON. April 17. The whole country has been thrilled by the airship’s adventure, hut the most confidence was shared hv the experts for the safe return of Booth, who is only twenty-six, and his crew. The severe gale, which has been raging over the whole country helped the public to realise the crew’s peril. The crosschannel steamers faced a sixty-mile-an hour gale, while Liverpool recorded gusts of eighty-three miles an hour. Throughout the clay and night messages reached Pulliam Irom the airship, telling the story of the crew’s experience. It appears that the airship, when she broke away, carried with her four mooring wheels, each weighing half a ton (two forward and two aft) at the end of steel cables one hundred feet long. It was necessary for these weights to be cut adrift if the airship was going to ride out the storm, so when otf Lowestoft, a member of the crew, hanging over in a most precarious position, hundreds of feet above the water, his legs held hv a comrade, worked with a steel culling chisel and hammer until the cables were severed. Then the wheels dropped like bombs into the sea.

An eyewitness describing the breakaway. said:—"l was working near the mooring mast when the airship suddenly was carried off hv the wind, taking with, her the mooring arm and the wheels to which she was fastened below. The airship, owing to the storm had been manned by the emergency crew throughout the night. They were relieved an hour before the ship broke away. Directly the airship began to rise, T saw Booth look over the side of the control car to see what had happened. He must have been amazingly fpiick in giving orders, for the crew dropped the water ballast and got. the port, engine going under a minute. The trailing wheels missed the airlisip shed by only a few feet, and also narrowly missed the dwelling of a member of the crew, whose wife was amazed to see the airship sailing away.” Commander Fellowes spent the morning at Pulliam examining the mooring mast. He said that a piece of metal at a concealed spot, had rotted away during its (iv'e years’ use. He added that the airship had plenty nt food and gas for two days’ voyage, and a parachute for every man.

LONDON, April 10

The mishap to R. 33 was most surprising, because she bad safelv outridden 11 it- gale throughout tbo night. It was fortunate that the first officer, Lieut. Booth, was aboard, also a wireless operator. .The earliest reports wrongly indicated that the airship's nose bad been torn off. H. is ascertained that tin* ton of the moorin'; mast broke off. and it is now dangling from tin* nirshin’s nose. -She was driven broadside before the "ale at a vcr\ •low altitude, ft was feared that, she would foul bouses in llarlestou. M hen she was over Lowestoft, the wind tilted her end no. and site almost tell into the sea. while after that she disappeared behind a rain blanket. A\ i l l nil its engines running, tile (lodetia kept her in sight for a long distance. She appeared to ho facing (liffifultios well, and she wirelessed that she was “0.K.” She was instructed to follow the eourse of the wind till able to turn homewards, Ivrlv in the morning * was sighted off the Dot'll coast, where mi nerolnnc was encircling her. Ihe wind then veered and eased, and the vessel’s course was altered. Ihe wireless operator reported that the ship was under perfect control, and was doing 35 miles an hour. She was then .8 miles north west of Amsterdam, or 12!) miles from Pulliam, LONDON. April I<. The gale has abated, and Airship 11.33 i s returning home. She is expected to arrive at early dawn. LONDON, April Hi. At 10.10 to-night 1t.33 was progresselm nee of her reaching her base tonight. LONDON, April 10. The Air Ministry is in regular contact with airship 1t.33, which wirelessed “Quito well. Will make Ragland when wind moderates.” At midnight the airship was gallantly battling against the gale, and she expects to reach Pulliam at dawn. She is tilled with inflammable gas, and carried a complete crew of 23. In addition to plight Lieut. Booth, the crew includes Corpora-! Potter (a survivor ot the R. 38 disaster). ... . Pulliam aerodrome is illuminated, and a landing crew of three hundred are making an all-night vigil in readiness for the airship’s arrival. Booth evidenly is determined not to descend on tire Continent, though precautionary arrangements were made with Holland, France and Germany. AMSTERDAM, April 17.

R. 33 is signalling every quarter of an hour, enabling the AYallhaven, Croydon and Pulliam aerodromes to locate its position. Apparently there is no professional wireless operator ahoaid. The wireless hearings show the airship is moving against the gale, fflictefoie her engines are still working. A wireless was picked ut> Irom the Japanese steamer Amazon Afaru stating R. 33 was drifting towards Fort Edmond, near Alkinnar, with its nose crushed in, and requires assistance. The entire staffs of the Dekoctv ant Sticsefci'horg aerodromes are mobilised to assist in a landing if necessary, but R. 33 changed her direction southwards. Her engines are apparently working well. , . .. LONDON, April 1 1The Air Ministry announced that R. 33 sent a wireless message at 11.5 p.m. as follows: — “My position is fourteen miles -■>•> degrees, compass hearing from ■ mittden. Making some headway. Please close and show searchlight.. Another message sent a lew minutes later, to Pulliam, reported:— “Wind movement confirmed. Pn>»res.s being made. Send forecast. ’ " AMSTERDAM, April 1,.

R. 33 wirelessed to Manilla veil Aerodrome, stating site has enough petrol to last twenty-four hours. The nose ol the airship is heavily damaged, hut a forced landing in Holland is not considered necessary, in any case net before dawn. She hopes to reach Ca.ats on Friday morning.

R. 33. THE HAGUE. April 16. The British Government has requestoil permission for R. 33 to land nt the SeUoosterberg aerodrome, wherel'or it is believed site will he making. She was sighted otf Zandvoort, flying low. Ihe lifeboats were ready, hut later she rose over Leiden.

CROSSES DUTCH COAST. (Received this day at S a.m.) LONDON, April 17.

The Air Ministry- announces that the R 33 is reported to have crossed the Dutch roast and is proceeding westnorthwest at between five and ten

Knots. The Admiralty lias instructed the Clodetia to accompany her homeward across the North Sea. The Kale, which reached a hundred miles per hour in some places has subsided considerably. .It. 33 which was in touch with the Ministry all night long reported at 0.30 this morning that she was fifty miles west by south of Amsterdam.

Later the R. 33, at ten tins morning was forty miles from Loweseroft.

LANDS AT FULHAM. (Received this dav at 9.25 a.r.rA LONDON, April 17 R. 33 has arrived at Fulham.