Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-06
PALMER TELLS OF
TRIP OVER CHANNEL
IN BRITISH AIRSHIP
Correspondent With the Brit
iSh Troops in France De-
SCribeS Air Journey From
London to France
BY FREDERICK PALMER.
Especial Correspondents of the Associated
Press with the British Armies in
Hrancel


WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE (Via London), Oct 4.-Never
were such numbers of planes employed
and never did they play such an i'm
portant part as in the battle of the
Somme. The wastage of British planes
at the front has been supplied by new
planes flying across the channel from
England, where, after coming from the
factory, they are tested out at a home
aerodrome. The record time in crossing
the channel at the narrowest point
where the distance is twenty-five miles,
is eight minutes.
Then the Associated Press correspond
ent, who was in London for a days
leave from the front, asked a certain
general at the war office for permission
to fly back instead of going by steamer,
train or automobile, the answer was
Perfectly easy" And to prove it he
called up the commander of the flying
corps, and in five minutes all was ar
ranged over the telephone.
what about my baggage?" asked the
correspondent.
"Oh, take it along and strap it on"
replied the general. "a plane that car
ries $50 pounds of bombs will not be
bothered with a dress suit case
WAITED ON SIORM.
A dozen machines, one after another,
were due to go to France that day as
soon as the wire said storm on the
other side of the channel had passed.
The correspondent slipped into a wad-
ded jacket for protection against the
wind, which would also act as a life
buoy if he happened to fall into the
channel, and took his place, a position
usually occupied by the observer, who
also manages machine gun.
"She's a good and steady bus" said
the pilot. "They flew her down from
the factory three days ago, and she's
tuned up and ready for her part in the
big show on the other side You must
rot expect any fancy stunts or thrills.
My business is to fly her to France and
deliver her in good condition ready for
work
She was Immaculate in her fresh
varnish and reassuring in her stanch-
ness. This pilot had made thirty such
crossings, and was proud of the fact
that he had never come down at any
Of the way stations. Before the war
he had been ranching in South Africa,
and was one of the thousands of men
who knew nothing about flying, but
have become expert aviators.
TAKES NO RISKS.
1t was as straight as a line drawn
on a map following a plotted course
OF land objects for the route, from
the aerodrome the machine left to the
aerodrome at the front. After forty
minutes in unvarying steadiness of
speed above the pattern work of the
English hedges he turned at a given
roint foJ the channel crossing. Usually
the crossing is made at a height of
1000 feet. This allows of more leeway
TO descend to the nearest shore or to a
steamer in the channel in case of en-
zine trouble.
Necessary risks" said the pilot, but
to get the plane to the front, where it
is needed, and will have risks in plenty
over the battlefield"
On account Of thick weather he took
the channel this trip at a height of
1000 feet. As the white laceworl; of
surf beat against the chalk just under
foot the correspondent looked at his
watch. Beneath were all the patrol ships
that guard the channel, which were lost
as the machine ran into a cloud.
Neither the shore nor the surface of
the water was to be seen. Then the
pilot stopped the engine ard the ma
chine slid for thousand feet until
the sea floor, dotted with white flocks
of wave crests, appeared and ahead,
Jas the engine took up it's refrain again,
was the WHlle euSlnS OF the SURF az
he foot of the chalk cliffs of France.
TRIP OF SEVENTEEN MINUTES.
AS the machine crossed that tape the
correspondent looked again at his
watch and saw that the time elapsed
was seventeen minutes. The flight had
rot been made over the narrow part OF
the channel The fastest steamer would
have required an hour and a quarter
and travelling that way the passage
would have been rough, as a heavy sea
was running.
Now over the broad spaces of the
hedgeless land Of France with tho
fields so many patchwork square.
stretching between soft green clump:
Of woods and on toward the sections
of the front and the battle line so wei
known to the correspondent. Then,
finally, over a cathedral tower and down
on the green floor of the aerodrome /
where a score of other new planes fresh I
from England had been marshalled in /
ranks after their arrival. When storms
have prevented migration for a period, |
fifty have come in from England in one |
day.
GOOD. night" said the pilot, after he
had reported his arrival to the aero