DISASTER TO AN AMERICAN AIRSHIP

WRECKED AND BURNT BY STRIKING ELECTRIC WIRE.

THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST.

We regret to state that another terrible disaster to a dirigible airship has to be recorded. The scene of the catastrophe was a point near Norfolk, Virginia, and the vessel involved was the airship Roma, which was purchased by the United States Government from the Italian Government for the use of the American army. The number of dead is estimated at thirty-three.

The United States Navy Department (says Reuter) was first notified of the disaster to the Roma in the following telegram from the naval authorities at Norfolk (Virginia): “The army dirigible Roma caught fire and fell to the ground near the army base at Norfolk about 2.10 this afternoon. Thirty-five persons are reported dead out of fifty aboard.”

A later Reuter telegram from Washington says: Captain Doyle, of the naval air station at Hampton Roads, in a telephonic conversation this afternoon with Rear-admiral Moffett, of the Navy Department, stated that the accident occurred when the vertical controls were carried away, as this caused the dirigible to dive nose first, and in its descent it struck a high-tension electric wire, as a result of which the airship at once caught fire. Captain Doyle said he believed thirty-eight of those aboard lost their lives.

WITHIN A YARD OF SAFETY.

If the Roma had been able to keep going another yard she would have avoided the high-tension wire which set her on fire and would have reached the water, whither she was headed. One of the survivors told Captain Doyle that the airship was only about 200 feet up and almost directly over the army supply base when the controls were carried away. Orders were immediately given to throw out ballast. This, however, had no result, and the ship continued to nose-dive. Captain Doyle says the collision with the electric wire caused the dirigible to turn on her back, trapping those inside her. The first thing the narrator knew was that he was on the ground receiving first aid. He was unable to explain how he got there. Among the known survivors are Captain Reed and Lieut. Burt, the official pilots of the Roma, and Engineers Biedenbach and Peek. On board the airship were a number of majors, captains, lieutenants, and lower ranks, and also seven civilians.

An Exchange Telegraph Company message from New York says that the vessel was flying above Langley Field when her rudder broke, and she dived nose first, exploded on striking the ground, and burst into flames. Further messages give the following particulars: “The Roma was recently christened at Washington with elaborate ceremonies. She was made for the United States at Campaano, Italy. In a recent flight at Washington she encountered difficulties with her engines, and also troubles occasioned by strong winds, which aroused apprehension regarding her durability.

“The Roma contained all the helium gas in the United States, and consequently the naval authorities recently ordered her to empty it and store it, substituting ordinary balloon gas. The change was completed on Saturday. To-day’s flight was the first with Liberty motors, which were installed because the Italian engines did not function properly in cold weather. The explosion is attributed to the Roma striking electric wires over the Army base, which entangled the rudder and ignited the gas bag.

“The Roma was scheduled to leave Washington as soon as weather conditions permitted for an exhibition flight to the Pacific coast viâ Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Denver, and Los Angeles. She had six engines of 480 h.p. each, a maximum speed of 63 miles an hour, a lifting capacity of 40,000lb, and a fuel capacity of 26,000lb, enabling her to fly for a hundred hours without refuelling. The envelope was composed of three layers of rubberised cotton. The Roma was constructed so that she could be anchored at sea by the use of conical fabric anchors. She was purchased from the Italian Government on March 2, 1921, and delivered on June 3.

NORFOLK (VIRGINIA), Tuesday. It was officially announced at the Army base here at 3.40 this afternoon that only ten survivors had been rescued from the Roma

The number of dead is estimated at thirty-three, there having been a total of forty-three aboard. Twelve men were taken from the smoking mass of twisted steel, but two died on the way to hospital.