New-York tribune., 1919-06-29
His Troubles Getting to
1repassey Convinced NC-4
Commander He Had Little
-.
Chance in Ocean Flight
Kept Going Just the Same
Tells How He First Sighted
Land Through Hole in
Fog; 3 Sandwiches Diet

Il weighed our chances carefully
Then I gave up all hope of making the
transatlantic fight. did absolutely
because l thought two motors were
worthless, and thought the other two
seaplanes would leave Trepassey be-
fore we could get there. I knew this
would mean the patrol ships would
come in from their positions on the
ocean"
Lieutenant Commander Alfred c.
Read thus told yesterday how near fate
came to wrecking the first successful
flight across the ocean at its very in
ceptlon. He told the story Of the NC-4
slowly, carefully picking his words.
1t was the story of the first leg Of
the epoch making fight from Rockaway
to Halifax, when the NC-4 was com
PEELED to alight upon the sea far from
any patrol ship.
II had given up all hope" he con-
tinued. II did not know at the time
that the ocean patrol was going t,
wait for me. But l was in command of
one Of the navy's seaplanes on def
around to me and say that wasn't 60
ing to try to complete that operation.
Wrong Type Of Motor
"When we got to Chatham I found
that the only type of Liberty motor
could get was low compression. These
are not as good as high compression
less power We installed them, how
ever, and as soon as the weather let up
we started for Trepassey, where we get
new high compression motors.
"On the day of the start Of the
transatlantic flight from Trepassey
got off first 1t was for the purpose
Of testing our new engines. We could
have gone right away then, but after
circling around three times we alighted
again, so that the flagship, NC3, could
get away first, according to the navi-
cation plans.
"Whie in Paris read in some Amer
lean newspaper that there was fric-
tion between Commander John H. Tow
crs and myself. It's all silly rot,
and whoever started that story de-
serves place in ar institution for
feeble minded.
"My pilots got very wet while tax
ing off at Trepassey, and they were
very cold throughout the fight to
Horta. l was not cold. The pilots took
turns at the controls every thirty min
utes. 1t was very monotonous, and
smoked a great deal. While actually
flying all the way from Rockaway to
Plymouth l only ate three sandwiches
Found Hole in Fog
Owe first saw land through a hole
in the fog. At that time we were at
an altitude of 1000 feet | recognized
it Immediately as the Island Of Flores
and laid my course for Horta, where
we landed safely. We were the for
tunate ones of the three seaplanes to
get the good luck in sighting land. 1t
was just luck, nothing more"
Commander Read was asked what his
feelings were when he first sighted the
was the first to successfully fly across
the Atlantic. For a full minute he
paused.
well, it was very pleasant feel
ing, he said, finally.
"On the trip from Lisbon to Ply
mouth l didn't care whether l sighted
destroyers or not" he said. "You see
nothing depended upon it; we had com
pleted what we started out to do, and
we were not keyed up to such a pitch
owe learned many lessons of i'm
portance during the flight. They are
incorporated in my report to the Navy
were learned from the experiences of
the NC-1 and NC-3"
Shown by His Nose
During the interview silhouette
artist commenced to cut Commander
Reads profile.
''No wonder you got across the ocean
Commander, with that nose of yours,
she said.
The commander laughed heartily.
IL didn't think personalities were 60
ing to enter this story" he said
OF the successful flight of Captain
Alcock in the Vickers Vimy bomber
Commander Read said: "It was won
aerful. l don't see how they were able
to do it. 1t was splendid"
Commander Read and the rest of the
NC f1iers will report to the Navy De-
partment in Washington Monday norm
ing. They will return to New York
to be guests at series of entertain
ments.