The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-12
PORTER ADAMS
PLANS TO FLY
AROUND WORLD
Flight Will Be Attempted from
SanzFrancisco within
-Four Months.

SAN FRANCISCO, Mar. ia n.y.
droaeropIane flight around the world
will be attempted from San Francisco
within the next four months, accord
ing to Porter III. Adams, Of Boston,
Mass, who is in San Francisco to
start construction of his flying ma
chine Oh which, he said, he expected
to expend $4,000.
Adams Is a graduate in aeronautics
of the Massachusetts, Institute of Tech
nOlogy. and, with Donald w. Doug
lass, also of Boston, designed the ma
chine, a hydroaeroplanG of the Dipllne
type, In which the flight will be at
tempted.
The intended route, according to
Adams, will be from San Francisco
to Honolulu, Manila, China, India,
Port Said and Spain, and thence across
the Atlantic to Boston.
Adams is enthusiastic over his plan.
He feels certain that he will be able
to see 1t through to a finish. He is
anxious to demonstrate the power Of
specially constructed machine of
this type. He personally superintends
the building of the machine. which,
when finished, is expected to be one
of the sturdiest machines that ever
flew.
Adams's college chum and fellow
engineer, Donald w. Douglass, is
helping him build the airship.
Confident Of Success.
'We are certain our machine will
make the long air voyage" said
Adams ats success is only a ques-
ton OF details, particularly in the
matter OF relay stations for supplies
of gasoline. Our longest jump will
be from San Francisco to Honolulu,
which we figure can be made in thirty
hours.
1.-THE machine is so large I've come
here to find ship yard where 1t can
be put together. Most of It's parts are
finished, the rest are being assembled
in the East and at Los Angeles.
The hydroaeroplane Is 1873 feet wide
and will be eighty-fve feet long.
There is lifting capacity of 32,400
pounds, with dead weight OF about
10000 pounds. There will be eight
motors, worked alternately in units of
four.
Seven passengers are to be carried,
including Adams and four mechanics.
The latter will be relieved at the var
ious relay stations. some ten or twelve
around the world, where other me-
chanics will be stationed in advance.
Deloyd Thompson. Of the Aero Club
of America Is to go along as extra
pilot. The machine will fly the clubs
nag and the organization will officially
record the flight. Both Adams and
Douglass are prominent among its
members.
Navy Officer to Make Trip.
The United States navy is to official
ly recognize the daring and remark
able journey by permitting Lieutenant
Harold D. Douglass. brother OF
Adams's associate engineer. to become
a volunteer passenger and make an
official report of the voyage.
Tho United States Weather Bureau
is compiling data for the guidance OF
the undertaking, and the civil and
military authorities, of the different
countries in which stops will be made
and supplies arranged in advance
have promised assistance If needed.
The tour is being arranged by
agents OF Adams and Douglass in
Honolulu. Manila, China, Port Said,
Spain and other places.
The route outlined Is:
To Honolulu. 1851 miles: Walk
island lao; Guam, 1854; Manila, L.
400.
Saigon, in 1ndio-china, 1000 miles;
gulf Of Alden, 1860 miles; Port Said,
1000.
Spain. near Gibraltar, 1880; Azores,
LAO; Boston. 1920.
Adams has figured out the trip can
readily be made in fourteen days.
Life insurance. which was intro
duced in Japan in 1881, is popular
and has doubled in volume each dec
lade.