Evening star., 1919-03-30
NAW'S SEA.F[|GHT
SCHEDULED IN MAY
Trip Across Atlantic to Be
Made When Clear Day
Favors Flying Boats.
GO FROM NEWFOUNDLAND

| On SH6 uFSt CleaF Ody III .MAy, or As
soon as the fog bolt which now en-
yelops the Newfoundland coast
shows signs of clearing, the Navy
will undertake the flight over the At
lantfc Ocean, 1t was announced last
night by the Manufacturers Aircraft
Association.
During trials at Rockaway last
| week one of the mammoth flying
boats Of the Navy, NC-1 (Navy-Cur-
, tiss), SCARED into the air with $4,000
pounds gross load. 1t was not thought
possible, heretofore, to carry more
than $4,000 pounds, but with refine
ments which have been made lately
with ease.
So confident is the Navy Of the abil-
ity of these ships" that it Is willing
to undertake the trip without the as
sistance of mother craft along the
! route, but for the sake of safety
some boats will be detailed to avert
possible disaster should the machines
encounter heavy storms.
Weather Closely Studied.
Weather conditions are being close
ly studied by the United States
being made for the guidance Of the
navigators. Observations on the sur
| face Of the sea and records obtained
| by means of test balloons provide the
| basis for forecasts as to probable
weather conditions early In May;
| None Of the flying boats which will un-
dertake the trips is to carry newspa-
permen. The crews will consist ot
pilots, mechanicians, aerographers and
wireless operators. Four cameras Will
be part of the equipment. and members
of the crew are now receiving instruc-
Food will be carried only in small
quantities. Everything is to be sac
rificed for weight. as the total amount
of gasoline required for such a trip will
be well over $4,000 pounds.
Unlike individual aspirants, the Navy
winds. 1t is true that the prevailing
current is from west to east, but, 1t IL
stated, that with boat of the n c class
| it is unWise to count on more than oc-
casional help from the wind.
These boats are powerful enough t.
| make the fight under any cfrcum-
stances, and the Navy wishes to make
| this flight most thorough in every re-
spect and not to have it the result of q
| fuke. An altitude of probably 2,0o0
feet will be maintained, as the Navy
machines are not adaptable to the high
attitudes reached by the Army.
Development by Navy.
! It is now possible for the first time
to trace in detail the painstaking and
i laborious efforts of the Navy Depart.
ment in conjunction with private
! manufacturers to evolve the best and
most powerful fiyipg boat In the
world. The department first became
! interested in this project officially In
1914, when Glenn Curtis. one Of the
| pioneers of the airplane brought
Commander John c. Porte to the
United States to pilet America" tbs
Wanamaker.
| Commander Towers, U. s. ~, vaa
called into the conference, and many
| ideas were developed which were
used both here end abroad. He was
| to have accompanied Porte on his trtr
| across the Atlantic but on account OF
February Commafider Towers was
detailed to a new work classified as
the TRANSATLANTIC section of the
Navy. Expansion Of personnel fol-
| lowed, and other officers were de
tailed. They were Lieut.. Commander N.
L. Beilinger, former commandant of the
mander 81. c. Richardson Of the Com
struction Corps. Mai, B. L. Smith of the
Marine Corps, Lieut.. Commander G. de
| C. Chevalier, Lieut.. Commander R E.
Byrd and Lieut. q. G.) r. F. Barrett
Selection Of Route.
Great care had been taken in the
| selection Of the route. It would be
preferable to start from Long Island