New-York tribune., 1919-05-29
Allusion at Luncheon to
Ocean Flight With Ship
Stationed S'Every Twenty
Yards" Heard in Silence
Hing Decorates Fliers
News of Arrival of Seaplane
at Lisbon Minimized i'm
the London Newspapers

LONDON, May % (By The Associ-
ated Press) at luncheon
given by "The Daily Mail" to- day in
his and Lieutenant Commander Grieve' s
honor, Harry G. Hawker discounted
the organization which had won for
the United States the honor of the
first crossing OF the Atlantic by a
heavier than air machine. He declared
1t was not serious attempt, with a
ship stationed at "every twenty yards. ."
Hawker continued: eff you put a
ship every fifty miles it shows you
have no fight in your motor"
This wss greeted with absolute
silence on the part Of the men gathered
at the luncheon, numbering between
$50 ara 800, nearly all of whom we're
British. few minutes before thew
mad cheered heartily the statement that
the American navy aviators had been
successful IN reaching Europe.
Hawber disclosed that on SATURDAY.
night, Immediately preceding his start,
l.
less the wind changed they would start
on Sunday for fight by way Of the
Azores and Portugal. The wind veered
slightly Saturday night, enough to give
Hawker and Grieve the chance to start
from their airdrome; but it was un-
favorable for Raynham.
a,"Srican Feat Forced Start.
He declared, although the weather
was unfavorable, the success Of the
Americans in reaching the Azores
forced him to start.
ANY Englishmen here" he added
would have done the same thing un-
der the same circumstances.
Lord Northcliffe, who is i'll. sent a
message to be read at the luncheon.
which read:
Were present, | would like to raise
my glass in congratuation of our
American friends on their careful and
Characteristic preparations and for
their fine record breaking flight to the
Azores and Lisbon. They have still
left to us the problemn of direct
flight from America to Europe"
Lieutenant Commander Grieve said
he was very nervous over his naviga.
ton abilities when he started, but soon
ascertalned that the navigation Of an
alrplane was the same as that of a
snip. There were no difficulties until
the clouds precluded taking sightings
lie predicted navigation of airplanes
would be a simple matter in the future
The Daily Mails" $4,000 Consola-
ton Prize was presented TO the two
airmen.
Hawker and Grieve were received by
King George at Buckingham Palace
this morning. The King bestowed or
them the insignia Of the Air Force
Cross. They are the first actual rccipi-
ents Of this order, which is new
honor bestowed for "devotion to duty
After their reception by King George
Hawker and Grievc saw Queen Mary
and the Prince Of Wales The car OF
the avators was besiegcd by the crowd
as it left the palace, and it was with
difficulty it was able to proceed
The news Of the arrival OF the Amer
icaa seaplane NC-4 at Lisbon, com
pleting her transatlantic flight, was
entirely overshadowcd in this morn
ing's London newspapers by the volu-
rnous detailed reports Of the re-
ception Of Hawker and Gricvc, to-
gether with the narratives of these
airmen.
Communication between Lisbon and
London is extremely slow. The only
news Of the arrival Of the NC-4 that
reached the morning papers up to the
time they went to press came from
New York
The Sopwith arplanc driven by
ITawkcr on his unsuccessful flight
started from st. Johns with a gasolenc
supply Of $40 gallons. Half this
amount had been used when the plane
alightcd in the sea near the Danish
tramp steamship Mary
Plane Like Small Motor Boat
Hawkcr in an interview with "Thc
Daily Mail" describing his experience
after alighting on the water, said:
ut was like being in small motor
boat in heavy sea when we flew down
to look for ship. We we're between
high waves and we were bumped about
quite badly"
Hawker said they we're in water up to
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