Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-19
SeapIane, for Which Ships
Were Searching, Seven
Miles From Land.
ON WAY UNDER POWER
TOWARD PONTA DELGADA
Navy Department Gets Message
Here From Admiral Jackson
This Afternoon.

HORTA, May 10 Thy the Assoc
ciated Press)-The NC-4 was tun-
Ing up this afternoon preparatory
for it's flight TO Pontn DeIgnda.
1t In planned to start for POnta
Delgada sOOn the weather
permits. At ESQ PM, local time.
the weather indicated showers.
The plan to go direct to Lisbon
from Horta has been given mp be-
cause OF lack OF fuel, making IL
necessary to put into POntO Del
gada. The aviatOrs also desire to
make the flight during daylight
hours. which would he Impossible
IL they started from HOrtn.
The naval seaplane. NC-3. COM
manded by Commander ]. H. Towers,
lost in mid-Atlantic since Sis am.
Saturday morning, was today report
ed to the Navy Department proceed
ing toward Ponta Delgada under her
own power seven miles from land.
This message was received at the
Navy Department early this after
noon from Rear Admiral Jackson. at
Ponta Delgada:
THE NC-3 located seven miles north
l'Cled qua, hSi OWA
power"
No Mention of Crew.
|. The message was filed at 1910 PM.
Washington time, and while 1t made
no mention Of the crew, naval officers
were certain that Commander Towers
and his four men were safe: Details
Of the mems experience on the plane
during the more than forty-eight
hours they spent in fog and storm
were expected soon after the NC-3
reached Ponta Delgada.
Admiral Jackson'S' report was taken
here TO mean that Commander Towers
after having been forced by fog to
aiight on the water had been driven
northward and eastward by the storm
until he was able to taxi his craft to
safety on the surface probably 500
miles from the point where fog forced
him down, when within short dis
lance of the land fall at the
Azores.
Naval officials were elated by the
news, which was flashed Immediately
to Mrs. Towers, wife of the flight
commander. who had never lost hope
that her husband would bring his
ship safely into port.
With the NC-3 making Ponto Del
gada under her own power officials ex-
pressed belief that the big seaplane
could be put into condition to con-
tinue the flight to Lisbon and Ply
mouth with the NC-4. which; at last
unfavorable weather. The NC:1.
however, was definitely out of the
running as the result of the pounding
she received after landing on the
water.
The Navy Department was advised in
DISPATCHES received about noon today
from Ponta Delgada that the NC-1 was
definitely out Of the race because OF Gam,
age, and that the NC-4 would proceed
to Lisbon and Plymouth, it being i'm
nra ctica BILE to use her in search for tina
NC-3.
Sends Plane to Ponta Delgada.
Rear Admiral jackson at Ponta Del
eada had been directed to use the
NC-4 in the search. if possible. but he
reported that this was not practicable
and that the plane would proceed to
Ponta Delgada to prepare for the
flight to Lisbon. Admiral Jacksons
message as to the condition OF the
NC-1 said:
.The Fairfax is standing by the
NC-1 thirty miles east OF Corvo. both
wings smashed and one poneoon
missing. Bellinger reports Nj wiz
not be in condition to be MADE 10
instructions to use the seaplane
NC-4 at Horta to search for the MISS
ing seaplane NC-3 and her crew nave
been sent Rear Admiral jackson AZ
Ponta Delgada by Rear Aam
Plunkett commanding the DESTROYER
force, according to a message received
TODAY at the Navy Department All
destroyers west of Ponta Delgaah
have been placed at Admiral Jacksons
disposal to search for the missing
plane.
The message from Admiral jackson,
sent from Ponta Delgada at 4:4o am.
Washington time, said:
"FoIlowing instructions received
from Rochester admiral Plunketts
t1aeship at Lisbon), Use all available
destroyers west of Ponta Delgada and
the N.C-4 if practicable to make an
organized search for NC-3.
Cable Service Interrupted.
Although it was said it was possible
London might get the news frst. the
Navy Department early today had not
been informed as to, the unofhciAAy
reported rescue of the crew OF the
seaplane NC-3, as told in a news dis4
patch from London this morning. 1t
was stated. however. that interrupted
cable service between the Azores and
the United States might account for
a report of the rescue reach ing Amer
lean naval officers in London before
it was received here.
No additional reports showing
whether weather conditions would
permit Lieut.. Commander Read
to take the air in the NC-4 were re-
ceived early today, but the last dis
match as to weather conditions around
the islands indicated that the storm
had subsidized.
Admiral Plunkett's action probably
will postpone continuation of the
fight by the NC-4 until
definite information as to the NC-3
has been obtained or she is given up
as lost.
The members of the crew of the
NC-3, in addition to Commander
Towers, are Commander H. c. Rich
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