Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-20
NC-4 SHOWS TOP
SPEED IN SPURT
TOWARD LISBON
Commander Read and Sea-
in 104 Minutes
in 81 Minutes
MAKES PONTA DELGADA
Towers NC-3 Unfit For Race
Over Atlantic, Admiral
Cables Navy
By associated Press.

Washington, May 20, - The
naval seaplane NC-4 arrived at
Ponta Delgada from Horta at
1924 A. M, Washington time.
The official report to the Navy
Department from Rear Admiral
Jackson showed that the big
plane covered the distance of
$50 miles in one hour and A
minutes, or at the rate of more
than IS miles an hour.
Admiral Jacksons dispatch, filed at
1925 a. M, Washington time, said
"NC-4 arrived Ponta Delgada 14.24
&c. NJ. T), 1924 a. nj. Washington
time. All o. X"
The naval seaplane NC-3 will not be
! able to resume the transatlantic fight.
A message to the Navy Department
early to-day from Admiral jackson at
Horta said the damage resulting from
the buffeting she received when forced
to land while nearing the Azores had
definitely put her out of the race. The
hull was leaking, the message said. and
one of the engine struts was badly dam
aged.
After weathering a 60-mile gale and
| heavy seas, the missing seaplane NC-3,
flagship of the American naval trans
Atlantic flight squadron, entered Ponta
Delgada harbor yesterday under her
| own power, nearly so hours from the
time she was forced down by fog when
almost In sight of the Azores on the
| record-breaking fight from Newfound-
! land for Lisbon and Plymouth Eng
| land.
! Ships Scour Seas
! Searching battleships and destroyers
] were securing the seas and naval Of
ficials had all but abandoned hope for
the safety of the flying ship and her
crew of five when warships at Ponta
Delgada saw the plane taxing across
the water headed for the flight OBJ
jective in the Azores.
Rear Admiral Jackson Immediately
dispatched the tidings to the Navy e.
partment by cable, relieving the anxiety
! of officials and ending the long vigil
J Mrs. Towers had kept since first news
| CduC last morning IndI ner
husbands plane had been lost in the fog
! 900 miles from the Azores.
The story of the plucky fight the
flight commander and his men were
forced to make for two days and nights
was not expected at the Navy Depart
ment Immediately, for officials realized
(! that the aviators must have been almost
exhausted when they reached their
! haven.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Commander A.
| C. Read with the NC-4 still was weather
bound at Horta and the NC-1. third
! ship of the aerial fleet, was officially
described as in almost sinking condi-
| ton 80 miles off Corvo Island, Azores,
with the destroyer Fairfax standing by.
Lieutenant Commander Bellnger and
his crew of the NC-1 are aboard the
cruiser Columbia at Horta, definitely out
of the race, according to Bellinger's s
own report on the condition of his ma
chine
/ Towers Again i'm Command
| With his arrival at Ponta Delgada,
! Commander Towers again takes active
| command of the flight situation. 1t had
been a saying of the service that the
| planes were built to ride any seas in
which they could land. The NC-3 did
more than that. She rode out gale
that is said to have approached a 90
mile rate at times and came serenely
taxing into port. having kept steadily
! on her general course under guidance of
her sldllful crew.
| When Secretary Dariels got the word
| Of Towers safety, he personally tele-
phoned it to Mrs. Towers, wife of the
officers. who hal clunG courage ousIy to
her faith and hope though the endless
| hours nt waiting.
! Horta. May 20. - The seaplane
| NC-4 started for Ponta Delgada at 1910
| D. M to-day, Greenwich meridian time
/ The weather was clear and the wind fa-
| vorable.
! A series of squalls which seemed to
] chase one another over the nearby
mountains and along the course between
! Horta and Ponta Delgada delayed the
| departure of the seaplane NC-4 for
| Ponta Delgada until 1910 p. M, at
which time the weather had cleared and
| the wind subsided.