The Washington times., 1919-05-20
NC-4 REACHES
PONTA DEL GADA
Continued from First Page)

constant rain and a buffeting from
| the waves which prevented the big
plane from getting into the air again.
When the NC-3 came into Punta Del
gada under her own power the popu-
lation swarmed to the waterfront and
gave Towers and his men an enthusi-
astic reception. The people had been
waiting for days to greet the Yankee
transatlantic flyers and this was their
first opportunity to do so. Members
of the crew declared that they first
descended to the surface seventy-five
miles west Of Pico after having lost
their bearings. They sent out manv
radio calls, and were first sighted by
a destroyer when approaching Ponta
Delgada.
Commander Towers report to the
Navy Department received today
reads:
Arrived Ponta Delgada May 10,
1850 Washington time. Compelled to
GO above clouds at Station 8 on &C
count of failure of light on the
pilots instrument board and neces-
sity of having heavenly bodies for
reference. Last destroyer sighted No.
10. Came through clouds at day
break but missed Destroyer Il. Be
lieve thrown off course by high
velocity of upper winds, but laid par
allel course. Encountered heavy rain
squalls, 3:45 Washington time, May II,
which continued until $3.50 a. m. When
weather cleared and we decided to
land to make observation as we only
had two hours fuel left. Discovered
heavy seas running too late to re-
main in air. Slightly damaged hull
and seriously damaged forward center
engine struts on landing. which made
il impossible to leave water.
Observation showed this position
to be 47:45 n. 1925 w. apparently
this should be latitude 81, instead of
~, as given in dispatch.D Gale arose
on evening of Il. which was ridden
out successfully until a m. May 19,
when lost port wing pontoon. Seaplane
suffered severely, but succeeded in
riding out gale. and by sailing a total
distance of 205 miles made mornings
at Punta Delgada under own power
at $50 p. m. May IS, having lost star
board pontoon just outside harbor."
TREPASSEY. Newfoundland, May
2O.-A dull red light moving slowly
in the distance. a tiny white light
blinking behind it, a soft pattering
Of the wireless receiver, then dark
ness and silence. This was how the
seapIanes speeding in the night
through the upper air lanes on the
long leap overseas, revealed their
passage to the vigiIant .destroyers
strong like beads on a slack string
between Newfoundland and the
Azores.
Capt. Milton S. Davis. Of the de-
stroyer Ward, on station No. 6, 315
miles out, likened the experience to
talking with Mars. The Ward came
into the bay this afternoon to refuOI.
Signals of Plane.
1t was about 10 p. m, New York
time, when a seaman on the Ward
reported a moving light in the dis
lance. and the captain saw a soft
away on the edge of the moon which
was % degrees off the starboard
bow
Then came blinking beams from
signal light-dash dot dash dot,
dash dash dot dot-the signal OF NC-1,
Commander Bellinger's plane.
With an exclamation the quar-
termaster turned on the searchlight
anu answered., HdSuluS Inc "OIOSs
Ward, pleasant journey"
From the darkness came the re-
ply: Thank you"
The red light faded and the blink !
ing ceased, but the radio operator /
on the destroyer picked up these |
fragments of conversation between |
the other unseen seaplanes and the |
Cape Race station:
How are you getting on"
Zine. It's a little cold out here" |
Then silence once more.