AIRSHIP GOES ASAILING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 58, 29 July 1914, Page 3

AIRSHIP GOES ASAILING

THE WHITE AUSTRALIA. SHOW GROUND TO STADIUM Mr A. J. Roberts's airship, the White Australia, left the .Sydney showground <n -.Saturday, duly (i, mulw it's- own gas; it cam,, back in the afternoon in a neat package in a cart There wcr-: many .-tones told in the city (says the Sun) of how Mr Roberts "had been thrown out of the micelle, and had descended to earth by sliding down a telegraph pole. The facts are that hlanded m M'haughlin Avenue with his ship, asked the crowd to hold it. lor out the gas, ;ind folded it up like « swag. No part of it was broken. TSefore taking anvbedv on a trip !» the White Australia Mr' Roberts wanted to test it himself, and he decided to make the trip yesterday. The engine was placed at one end of 'the framework, or micelle, below the gas bag, and, to balance it;, Mr Roberts found' it necessity to sit at the other end of the middle 20ft. away from the engine Had then, been two passenger's the balance could hive been arranged so as I to allow of hisi sitting by the engine. It was because that hi; was siUinnso far away that the mishap occurred. | Mr Roberts ha-d fixed a number of cords j tr. the control levers of the engine. When ; sailing over Darlinghurst he raised lis arm to test a rope, and as lie lowed the arm the elbow struck the cord eontrolling lever which shut off the j petrol: The engine stopped in a few seconds, and there was no means by | which. Mr Roberts could start it again. - for if he had climbed along to the engine, the weight coming 'tn to one end of the nacelle would hava tilted the I gas bag till it stood on its head.

The airman saw that he could do nothing but bring his airship to the ground as soon as possible, and he aim in 1 for some clear ground near the stadium at Kushcuttcrs Bay. As he drew towards it, however, he smw mmio rubbish burning, ami fc-iring that hi-; gas might catch lire,, he went further fud landed in. M'ljausfhlin avenue, <U>ii.g 110 trior? damage than the snapping of a telegraph wire. He took care not to jump out of his nacelle, as the airship, relieved of its weight, wolil 1 have shot U| into tie- air gain, He bun- on to tile nacelle and asked 1-h ■ crowd to do likewise. The gas was then eilowed to escape, and the silk Leg - is rolled up. Uci.uv his mishap :Mr Roberts made a trip over t'oiitinciital I'ark and over tin' .Svilnev cricket .•rronnd. where lw> was cheered In- the' football crowd. lie reckoned that be rose fi.OQO feet and tiau-llod at his best, at 14 miles po" ! hour.