The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-20
FLAGSHIP RUNS
ONSEA T0P0RT
ON HER ENGINES
Towers and His Crew Spent
Sixty Hours on Water
After Flight.
LEADS READ BY $50 MILES
Commander of Fleet Expects
to Resume Flight When
His Men Are Rested.
LEADS READ BY $50 MILES

WASHINGTON, May 19.-The naval
eaplane NC-4, commanded by Lieut..
Commander A. G. Read. will leave the
port of Horta, on the island of Fayal,
tomorrow morning at Z O'Clock
Greenwich mean time. which CORE
spends to 8 A. NJ. Washington time.
on the last leg Of the flight to the
shores of Europe. This is stated in
cablegram to the Navy Department
from Rear Admiral Jackson at Ponta
N pelgada, which adds the usual
weather permitting"
stop will be made at Ponta Del
gada,' the message adds. The early
time at which Commander Read will
start, however, indicates that he is
planning merely to take on more gas
clene at Ponta Delgnda and go on to
Portugal. In the opinion of naval Off
GERS here.
The missing NC-3. flagship Of the
tnnatlantic expedition, the seaplane
for which battleships and destroyers
have been comblng the rough, fog
shrouded seas around the Azores for
three days and two nights, came roar
ing along on the surface under her
own power into the harbor Of Ponta
Delgada this afternoon.
That she was sunk with all hands
IN the heavy seas had been the un-
spoken fear which beeet anxious but
hopeful navy men. But she had only
!ost her way. some 300 miles from
Corvo, the nearest land. She came
trlumphantly into anchorage. after
sixty hours Of silence, some 450 miles
nearer her objective-the coast of
Europe.
The machine was sighted about sever
miles out from the island of Sar
Miguel, on which the port OF Ponts
Delgada, the, jumping off place foI
Portugal, Is located. Obviously she ha6
had rough time in that sixty hours
for she was on the water instead oi
IN the air, but she headed straight fol
the hreakwater and the motors driving
her-how many in the four were ir
operation is not known here-sent heI
.kimmins along at a brisk and bust
hesslike clip.
Hoarded Their Gasolene.
Most Of her three days and twt
nights Of absence have been upon thu
rough surface Of the water. for other
wise she would be a drifting derelict
with gasolene exhausted. wireless use
less and motors silent. Probably She
rode out the storm aud gale headint
INTO the wind which blew her norti
ana east, but in all the fury Of III
S'orm--a fury which smashed th'
wings and opened the hull of the Nc
IN scant five hours upon the water
me f1ye men aboard her-picked mel
OF the picked naval air service-kep
her a1oat and boarded gasolene.
Commander Towers and his men
strained no doubt TO the breaking
point by their long unsleep!ng vigil
! tnce since Friday night, when she firs
rose into the air at Trepassey, hurrieC
fooard the Melville, supply ship a
'nis point Skilled mechanics an
spare parts in plenty are at the com
mand Of Towers as he had planne'
Aey would be, in just such an emer
Fency, when he arranged the detail
VI the hazardous undertaking-hov
hazardous probably only he and hi
'eW advisors who studied the question
most closely know-weeks ago Il
Washington.
The story OF the plucky night tn
commander and his men were force
make for two days and nights wa
not expected at the Navy Department
'H'ore tomorrow, for officials realize
maj tho aviators must have been al
most exhausted when they rcache
their haven.
Likely TO Resume Flight.
'o7c Who were with Commando
'Ne's m his flagship during the lonl
n.KA' and the longer more anxious tim
,pon the raging sea were Commando
y. T.. Richardson, Construction Corp,
y. one OF the several designers o
me NC type Of seaplane, and Lieut.
- Mccullough. L. s. ~. r. F.. VIII
co~tiHued on Second Page.