A selected party of air-service ratings, together with two
officers, were sent over to America to make all the necessary
arrangements, and the American authorities afforded every
conceivable facility to render the flight successful.
As there is no shed in America capable of housing a big rigid,
there was no alternative but to moor her out in the open,
replenish supplies of gas and fuel and make the return journey as
quickly as possible.
On July 2nd, at 2.38 a.m. (British summer time), R 34 left the
ground at East Fortune, carrying a total number of 30 persons.
The route followed was a somewhat northerly one, the north coast
of Ireland being skirted and a more or less direct course was
kept to Newfoundland. From thence the south-east coast of Nova
Scotia was followed and the mainland was picked up near Cape Cod.
From Cape Cod the airship proceeded to Mineola, the landing place
on Long Island. All went well until Newfoundland was reached.
Over this island fog was encountered, and later electrical storms
became a disturbing element when over Nova Scotia and the Bay of
Fundy. The course had to be altered to avoid these storms, and
owing to this the petrol began to run short. No anxiety was
occasioned until on Saturday, July 5th, a wireless signal was
sent at 3.
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