Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-09
PORTE CHAGRINED
AS PONTOONS FAIL
Skipper Of Ocean Flier America
Again Postpones Trip to
New Foundland.

HAMMONDSPoRT, N. Y, July a.
Working at top speed to perfect the
big pontoons for the transatlantic
f1ier America, Lieutenant Porte was
determined today that the ship must
be ready for transport from New
York to Newfoundland July IS.
The discouraging results of the
trials since Lieutenant Porte returned
on Sunday morning to Hammondsport
led the air pilot to cancel his passage
on the steamer leaving New York for
Newfoundland on July II. Lieutenant
Porte expects now to leave on July Is
and believes the America will be
ready by that time.
The America will make a trial
equipped with floats of about twice
the length of the Langley pontoons.
Mr.. Curtis was reluctant to give up
his experiments with light hydroplan-
ing fins in favor of the Langley pom
toons. which weigh ninety pounds
apiece and add materially to the head
resistance of the airboat. He be-
lieved that he was on the right track
yesterday when the America was
equipped with four hydroplane boards,
two on each side set one above the
other,
Il think the system of submerged
fins would be the best device for lift
ing the America out of the water, he
said But it would require more
time for experimenting, and Lieuten-
ant Porte cannot spare the time. The
pontoons ought to make a short cut
in the work of equipplng the Amer
lea
The two fms which were fitted be-
low the hydroplane's boards yester-
day were intended to hold the boat to
the surface of the water after it had
begun to plane. The fms, however,
made it come to the surface too fast.
In the trials yesterday the America
came to the top when it was making
q speed of only twenty-five miles an
hour, while the airboat could not fly
at a speed of less than about forty
miles an hour. Before the propellers
could increase the speed of the boat
by fifteen miles an hour 1t dropped
back from the surface to the water
until 1t was drawing about two feet.
Then it began to rise again, only to-
drop back once more after it had be-
gun to plane.
When the Langley pontoons were
used successfully last week each one
was placed halfway between the hull
and the tip of the wings Lieutenant
Porte said that this position was i'm
because waves would
play havoc with pontoons so placed
If the America were forced to descend
in the ocean. The pontoons were
placed near the hull Of
the boat. In this position it was
found that the water plowed up by
the bow of the airboat swept over
the pontoons, keeping them sub
and preventing the America
from arising.
The drift-measuring instrument in
vented by A. e. Sperry, of Brooklyn,
whose gyroscopic stabilizer won the
prize of $4,000 a few days ago in
France, arrived here and was tried
out by Captain F. Creagh Osborne.
of compasses of the
British admiralty. in a flight with
John H. Towers on the
Curtiss hydroaeroplane just built for
the navy. Tt consists of a series of six
small telescopes set like spokes in
a wheel. which are turned by crank
and focused on objects on the water
or in the air below. A ripple or the
tip Of a wave will do as a point on
the water.
The revolving telescopes throw
their reflection on a mirror before
the operator. When they are turning
at the proper speed they make the |
object in the water appear stationary
On the mirror as long as 1t is In the |
range of the telescopes. The angle |
at which the wheel of the telescope |
must be held in order to place the |
object in the centre of the mirror |
shows the angle at which the airboat |
Is drifting from its course.