Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-18
FOG BARRIER REPELS
TWO OF NC PLANES
WHEN GOAL IN SIGHT
Continued from First Page.)

the speed with which the fog bank
spread.
Fog at sea usually means smooth
seas and little or no wind. Officials be-
lieved the fog-bound plane and its
crew were in no jeopardy for that
tear away the fog curtain and per-
NIT it to take the air again before
the seas could rise. In any event, the
boat is a real boat, seaworthy as
well as airworthy. It was built to
ride out storms on the surface, II
necessary. Only cross seas. running
athwart the course Of heavy winds,
a rare condition, would impertl 1t
seriously. officers said.
The crew has ample stores of food,
water and extra clothing. Probably
the plane could taxi on the surface
to safety, as Commander Read did in
the NC-4, when engine trouble drove
him down north of Cape Cod on the
first leg of the great flight. But the
transatlantic flight, not to taxi part
of the way on the surface. officers
said. and. consequently. Commander
Towers was expected to await a clear
ing Of the fog, then to rise and push
on to Ponta Delgada, without stop
ping at Horta.
Even should the fog bound plane be
short Of fuel and the searching de-
stroyers fail to find it, officials were
confident it would make it's way safe
ly to land. AS illustrating the sea-
worthiness Of the craft officers re-
called that during the war a crew
brought in an American seaplane of
the coast of France after eleven days
on the water in a violent storm. The
men lightened the plane Of all weight
possible and rugged up sail out OF
the wings.
Commander Reads Plans.
Naval officials here were somewhat
in doubt last night as to Commander
Reads plans for continuing the flight
to Lisbon. One message from the Co
not attempt to proceed to Ponta Del
gada until today. A later report from
Rear Admiral jackson at the latter
place, however. said the weather was
clearing shortly after noon and Com
mander Read may have decided to
push on. A delay Of Ave or six hours
in transmission Of cable messages
from the Azores left the situation
there in doubt at late hour.
1t was generally believed that .
Lisbon at his earliest opportunity.
II the fog keeps him tied at Horta
until today, however. 1t appeared
doubtful that he could avoid losing
q day in his schedule. which called
for a start from Ponta Delgada on
the 8o0-mile direct flight to Lisbon
today. Horta to Lisbon direct would
add $50 miles to the journey, making
it possible that the airship would be
forced to make a landing after dark
should it attempt to catch up to-
morrow.
May Await Companions.
There is also a possibility that Read
would delay as long as possible 70 re!
the NC-3 rejoin him. The others waiteo
for him at Trepassey and he may 1eel
bound to take the same course. But
the prime purpose Of the whole trip is
to put an American seaplane across the
Atlantic ocean in air, 1t was SAID mere
and neither Read nor his brother ofn-
GERS will take any action that might
by any chance imperil that enterprise.
Too much effort and expense have oeen
lavished upon this attempt, officers salo'
to permit questions Of sentiment to en-
danger 1t. however fuch the whole
Navy would like to see all three OF
the machines alight in Plymouth har-
boria England, in group.
The only disturbing feature OF, the
delay to tho NC-3 was the silence of
Towers boat after the message say
ing she was of her course between
stationships II and Is at bI5 am,
Washington time. officers believed,
however, that limited communication
possibly failure to send of or to catch
an 8. o. 8. when landing was de-
cided upon accounted for this lack OF
Information as to the No. SO situation
First Letter by Air to Europe.
The first letter to be dispatched
across the Atlantic through the air
is 9 message of greeting from the
savings division Of the. Treasury De-
partment to the British National war
Sayings Committee. 1t was Entrusted
to Commander Towers fleet @of sea-
planes just before their departure and
IL to be delivered to the chairman OF
the British committee in Fleet street.
A belated report from Trepassey bay
received at the Navy Department yester-
day said the three transatlantic planes
when they made the start for the Azores.
The NC-4 and the NC-1 carried their
full crews Of six men each, but the NC-S,
flagship, carried only Ave men, Lieut.
Braxton Rhodes having been left be-
hind. With Rhodes aboard, the mes
sage said. the NC-S would have carried
an excess of 1876 pounds over either of
the other planes.
The successful fight was made pos
sible. the report said, by the tireless
work of the crews Of the planes and
the cooperation OF all Navy person
mel at Trespassey bay. Weather data
assembled through the chain of re-
porting ships established by the de-
partment. it continued. had been an
important factor. and the weather
forecasts upon which Commander
Towers made his decisions were com.
DlHic and accNrafa