The sun., 1919-05-31
Naval Aviator Compelled to
Descend When 100 Miles
From Lisbon.
THEN WAITS FOR TIDE
Rests in Mondego Bay, but
Does Not Reveal Cause
of Mishap.
READY TO CROSS BISCAY
Expects to Soar Over English
Channel and to Plymouth
This Morning.
READY TO CROSS BIsCAY

water to-day on the final stretch of
her transatlantic flight from Lisbon
70 Plymouth, England. But, as usual.
: Lieutenant-C Commander Read and his
crew got their seaplane out Of trouble
and Into the air again themselves.
She descended for the night at Ferrol.
on the northern coast Of Spain. and
will fly across the Bay of Biscay and
English Channel to Plymouth to-
morrow.
The NC-4 after a two day
rest at Lisbon started at 5:24
this morning Greenwich time, for
Plymouth, weightier by the decora-
tions conferred upon her crew by the
hospitable Portuguese. Her four en-
gtnes seemed to be in fine shape
when tested out on the water. Skirt
ing the Portuguese coast she started
northward, at first eating up the 775
nautical miles that separated her
from her destination with her usual
speed. Apparently very soon on that
northward. at first eating into the 775
sky something went wrong with the
weather or one or two of the tempera-
mental engines. The trouble was too
bad to be fixed by Lieut.. ]. l.. Breese,
Jr., and Chief Machinist's Mate E. s.
Rhodes while in the air.
Passed Second station shtp.
The SC-4 at less than usual speed
had roared by two Of the destroyers
stationed at intervals along the Por-
tuguese coast before rumors of trouble
began to I'LL the air. flashed by the
radio Of the station ships. Originally
1t had not been planned to have de-
stroyers stationed anywhere but on
the long Jump across the Bay of Bis
cay, but later the plans OF the navy
were changed to provide safeguarding
destroyers along the first part Of the
journey, skirting the Portuguese and
Spanish coasts.
Station A, somewhere north Of Lis
bon, was passed at 8 o'clock in the
morning, and an hour and twenty
minutes later another flash announcing
that she had hummed by station ship
B was sent out Throughout nearby
European waters the flashes We're
picked up by craft Of all nations, Brit
ish, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
all deeply interested in the fight OF
the seaplane, for she is half boat as
we'll as half plane, and mariners every
where are watching her progress
closely.
Flies at 1000 Feet.
At the time she passed station B she
was flying at an altitude Of 1000 feet.
1t was predicted then that she would
cross the great Bay of Biscay, and
sight Oeussant Light. on the western
most extremity Of the islands of Brit
tany. France, in quick time.
After passing destroyer B. however,
the air became silent. No radio mes
sages OF further progress were snapped
out by any craft in those populous
waters. Then came a wireless from the
destroyer Rathburne saying:
Have not sighted NC-4. Am search
ing southwark of station B."
Apparently the Rathburne had not
heard the radio announcing the passing
Of station b. Then. probably in answer,
the destroyer Woolsey. which Is station
ship c. flashed out for the benefit of all
the destroyers tossing in the Bay OF
Biscay:
Maintain station. NC-4 on her way"
Tho nezt message solved the riddle
OF the missing Feaplane for all the lis
tening ships, and, indeed, all the listen
ing nations OF Europe. II WAS from
Lieutenant Commander Read himself
and read:
"EC-4 at Mondego River. Must await
high tide. Seapiane cannot make Ply
mouth. Request destroyers to keep sta
tions. What Is best port to land sea-
plane within 500 milesr'
speeuiatinE ms to Cause.
This message, without any indication
OF time, was picked up by the United
States auxiliary Bridgeport, which was
swinging at anchor in Brest Harbor, at
IL 80 p. NJ. This was taken to indicate.
together with tho time at which the NC |
plane had passed the two destroyerR |
that one OF two things had happened 70 |
the kC-4. One was that high In ths |
air. the light south wind on tho surface |
developed into strong gale which kept |
the NC-4 back, or that one or more of
her motors had failed. slowing her far |
below her usual speed. Otherwise she |
would be far beyond her landing place |
5. the Mondego River, only about l0t !
miles north OF Lisbon.
The reference to high tide was puz-
alag. for apparently the NC+ had run |
aground or else was In danger OF doing |
40. As che draws only about forty-one |
n,hes this was regarded as peculiar, for |
ths Mondeso Is u navigable river 1t |