The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1919-05-23
SEAPLANES CROSS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
LAME DUCK" OF NAVY filters IS
FIRST TO EFFECT SAFE AR
RIVAL AT HORTA.
ONE HAS Been REPORTED LOST
Flagship Last Heard From Saturday
Mornine-officiaIs Are Not .Wor-
ried Over Safety-Reeord Of
Flight for Machines.

Washington, May IL One of the
three American naval seaplanes which |
set out last evening from Newfound-
land in the first attempt at flight |
across the Atlantic ocean still was
missing late Saturday night; another is
being towed to an Azores port by de-
stroyers after the crew had been put
aboard the steamer lone, and the
third was safe at Horta, Fayal, after
establishing record flight for
heavier-than-air machines.
The missing plane is the NC-3, flag
ship of commander John Henry Tow
the fact that the last report came
from her at Sis Sunday morning
washington time) did not cause nav
al officials any apprehension for the
safety of Commander Towers and his
crew of four. The last message from
this ship showed her off her course
in fog some $50 miles from Fayal,
and navy officials believe it was only
the mist bank which enveloped the
sea around the Azores throughout the
day that prevented all three of the
planes from reaching port on or ahead
of schedule time.
Lieutenant Commander Patrick N.
l.. Bellinger's ship, the NC-1, also lost
her Way in the fog and was forced to
1de..xend at 11:40 a. M, Washington
time. She sent an S. o. S. call, stat
| hot CHI inc
for her position. Four destroyers
Immediately were dispatched to her
assistance and a message to the navy
department just before midnight said
they were taking her to port, prob
ably to Horta. Commander Bellin-
ger and crew were aboard the steam
ship Iona.
| Average Speed 80 Miles.
The one plane to reach port was
the NC-4, which led her sister ships
practically all the way and descended
into Horta harbor at 800 o'clock,
, Washington time. Her official time
, for the flight was Is hours and IA
, minutes and the average speed was
, approximately 80 miles an hour. The
: performance of the plane was all the
more satisfactory to officials here be-
! cause of the fact that she suffered
series of mishaps on her voyage
/ from Rockaway Beach, l.. l., to Ire
passey bay.
: Both of the fog-bound planes were
, believed to have sufficient fuel to
carry them to the Azores, but the fog
} undoubtedly prevented them from
} continuing the trip in the air. The
: S. 70. S. call from NC-1 did not mean
an actual distress call. It was sent
} out in compliance with orders re-
} curing the planes to give such sig.
nails, If forced to descend before the
, actual landing was made. On the
| surface the big flying boats can not
flash radio calls beyond a 5-mile
, radius.
) This probably accounts for the de-
} lay in finding them in the fog. A
J destroyer must pass within miles to
} hear their signals. The planes them
t selves can hear all that goes on about
them in 100-mile circle but can not
: answer. 1t was pointed out that a
: fog heavy enough to drive the air
} boats down would also serve to blind
( the destroyers completely in their
search.
, Towers May Be Lost.
: Washington, May 1S.-Apprehension
l as to the safety of Commander John
> H. Towers and his crew of four men,
e who are in the seaplane NC-3 have
been lost at sea for more than 40
> hours, had begun tonight to displace
. the feeling of confidence among naval
: officials that the transatlantic filters
1 soon would be found by searching yes.
sells.
II Lost Is Found.
. Washington. May 19.-After wealth.
ering a 90-mile gale and heavy seas,
: the missing seaplane NC-3, flagship OF
, the American naval transatlantic flight
/, squadron, entered Ponta Delgada har-
> Dor today under her own power nearly
go hours from the time she was forced
down by fog when almost in sight OF
, the Azores on the record-breaking
flight from Newfoundland for Lisbon
and Plymouth, England.
Searching battleships and destroyers
:. were securing the seas and naval of.
ficials had all but abandoned hope fol
. 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 news to the navy de
partment by cable.
It Australian Starts His Trip.
J. st. Johns, N. F., May 19.-Up to
d o'clock this morning no word had beer
# received from Harry G. Hawker since
IS he started on his transatlantic flight