The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-20

Hawker. Commander Grieve was unu-
sually experienced In the science, but It
is pointed out he was faced with the
problem OF taking a sight with his sex
tant not on the smooth deck OF q ship
at a regular height above the water but
in a swaying, jolting airplane at height
which he could only approximate and
which varied every second.
II was the Intention of Commander
Grieve to use the sun for q few hours
which he had during the afternoon as
the machine sped away from Newfound.
land. and to make his observations by
the North Star at night, as the Vikings
are said to have done in the ventures In
the Atlantic. only short distance to
tie north of the Hawker route. In the
event OF overcast skies an attempt was
to be made to use the clouds which OBJ
secured the stars to figure. with the com
pass. the direction in which the machine
was travelling, and the force and direc-
ton IL the wind against, across, or with
thu plane.
The compass Is reliable on the ocean
only because the currents moving the
ship are known. The air currents Affect
ing a plane, ten times as strong. vary by
the minute, as the wind shifts, increases
or decreases. Thus a cross wind at night
might have blown Hawker southwark
beyond the southern tip OF Ireland and
England, so that he was heading for
France, rather than for the Irish coast
Even should his motor last the extra
distance 1t is certain his gasolene would
not.
Aviators regard 1t as peculiar. even
taking into consideration that Hawker
may have flown north or south Of the
steamship lane, that no radio from Com
,AAy foV 20 hsal los
reached a ship on the way across
Whether this was because the navigator
was too busy with his sextant and COM
pass to attend to the wireless, or
whether the radio itself was out of
order are subjects for speculation. It
was understood, however, that one OF the
main reliances of Grieve in navigating
was the wireless, for with this he in
! tended to get his position as the plane
passed over or near ships.
That Hawker, himself. had been over
come by the long strain or by Illness
was not looked upon as probable
theory here. for he Is a test pilot OF
many years experience, and would not be
likely to be overcome by the strain of
plotting a plane even for twenty Of
| twenty -four hours. In the event OF ILL
| ness or even of WEAKNESS Commander
Grieve was qualified to take his place.
as Hawker had instructed him In flying,
and he had had some previous expert
ence.
Others May Attempt Flight.
Regret that Captain Frederick Rayn-
ham and his one-legged navigator, Cap
tain Charles Morgan. had crashed at
the very start. of their attempt gave
way to a feeling that 1t was perhaps
we'll they had not started, especially in
view of the doubtful weather conditions
into which Hawker courageously few
his plane. with his quiet navigator
calmly accepting the same grave risk
The view was freely expressed that
| the other contestants for the London
! Daily Mail prize of $4,000 now at New
| foundland. Capt. John Alcock, with his
Vimy-Vickars bomber; Vice-Admiral
Mark Kerr. plotting the huge Handley
Page seaplane OF Col. John Cyril Porte,
and Capt. =. 8. Bennett, who plans to
fly n Bolton & Paul three seater-that
these Britishers would undertake the
transatlantic flight regardless Of the
fafa Of Hawler