New-York tribune., 1919-05-19
Martinsyde plane
Wrecked i'm ''Take
Or; !; Grew Hurt,
but Not Seriously
Start w atcl1ed
As Death Trip
Spectators i'm Fear.
That Daring Filler
Goes to His Doom.

ST JOHNS, N. F., May I9.-Up to
4 o'clock this morning no word had
been received from Harry G. Hawl1er
the Australian fier, since he started !
on his transatlantic flight Weather
reports from the Atlantic were favor
able and indicated Improvement in
some of the storm areas.
If Hawker's estimated speed of
100 miles an hour were maintained
he would have been more than
l,400 miles out at o'clock this
morning, or about three-fourths OF
the way to Ireland.
ST. JOHNS, N. F., May 18.-Tnto the
jaws of almost certain death Harry c.
Hawker, the famous Australian aviator,
drove his slender sopwith biplane over
the eastern horizon at 1:45 o'clock.
New York time, this afternoon, in an
effort to win for the British Empire the
glory of the FIRST transatlantic flight
He hopes to reach Ireland before The
American NC planes can effect cross
ing at Lisbon
With him as navigator WENT Lieuten-
ant Commander Mackenzie Gricve. Of
the British navy, whose task it viii be
to guide the tiny plane in true line
over the 1,90O-mile course that sep
arates Newfoundland from the shores
OF Ireland They expect to make tho
flight in nineteen hours.
Just as the Sopwith machine flashed
across the Martinsyde hangar in ter
rife burst of speed, Captain Frederick
P Raynham and his one-leggcd hero
navigator, Major c. ". F. Morgan,
rivals Of the Sopwith team, started up
their machine to race with Hawker
across the ocean
Martinsyde Plane Wrecked
AS the Martinsyde biplane. even
timer than the Sopwith, started
across the ground the axle of the
landing carriage snapped, wrecking
the machine and in njuring both men,
but apparently not seriously Captain
Raynham collapsed Immediately after
Ine CRASH, DUt later recovered
Hawker had his machine in readiness
shortly after / O'Clock at the Mount
Pearl aerodrome. The weather condi-
tions were ideal. with clear sky and
slight northwest wind, which VIII
greatly favor the machine.
The biplane took the air after p
short run across the field exactly at
17:46 Greenwlcn mean tiro Gas p ~.
New York time). Hawker maneuvred
in circles until he attained the desired
altitude, and then, opening the throttle
of his engine, he headed at tremendous
speed for this city, five miles away
The machine passed directly over St.
Johns and over the Quidividi aero
drome, where the Martinsyde biplane
was being prepared, across the hills in
the distance and quickly disappeared
from view Ten minutes later the
signal station on top of the hill re-
ported the machine had passed from
view. A.
Landing Carriage Dropped
Just after passing the Quidividi field.
Hawker released the landing carriage
of his machine, which dropped into the
sea, in full sight of the thousands of
people at the Martinsyde aerodrome
watching Captain Raynham Hawker
hoped by doing this to tighten his load
and accelerate the natural speed of his
machine from 100 to 106 miles an hour.
Hawker's start was made in face Of
weather conditions which he character
lied as mot yet favorable, but pos
sible.' He and his navigator gravel5
considered the hazards of the attempt.
and decided to stake everything on an
effort TO beat the Americans"
Overnight reports to the meteorologi-
cal station had showed increased at
mospheric pressures, smoother seas and
fair barometer conditions. Although
winds and pressures were not all they
hoped for, Hawker and Grieve ordered
their hand satchels packed and mads
ready for the start.
Hawker considered weight as Of
utmost Importance. Lifting Mackenzis
Grieve's bag, he found it heavy. and
inquired solicitously if he couldn't
dispense with pajamas" on the trim.
When asked if he thought he woald
have chance to sleep during the voy-
age Hawker replied:
Well have q long sleep coming at
the end of it,
hawker and Grieve. in their elsv-