The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-17
RAYNHAM Is READY
FOR OVERSEE DASH
Unfavorable Weather Puts
British Filler on Equal Terms
With Australian.
THEY AWAIT CLEAR SKY
Possibility Of a Start Together
in Test of Speed and
Endurance.

ST. JOHNS, ". F.. April 1e.-Favored
by Indictment weather which for Ave
days has prevented Harry G. Hawker.
his Australian rival. from taking the
air with his Sopwith biplane in competi-
ton for the $4,000 transatlantic flight
prize offered by the London Daily MdtI,
Capt Frederick p. Raynham, British
aviator. his Martinsyde machine fully
assembled. was ready tonight to hop
of" with the man from the antipodes as
soon as the skies clear.
Indeed the contest has reached
stage where 1t 10 no longer merely
race for preparedness but one In which
it seems probable the two planes will
speed across the ocean, throttles wide
open. OH a dash which calls not only for
endurance but speed The race also
calls for a test of two different air
courses.
The route plotted by Commander
Mackenzie Grieve. Hawkers navigator.
turns south from here and later swings
northeast toward the Irish coast. Major
c. w. Morgan, Raynham's navigator.
on the other hand has laid a course d.
rectly for Ireland.
England Goal OF Each.
Both pilots, however plan to land
at Brooklands In England and for each
the course is approximately 1000 miles.
Beth plan to start late in the afternoon
In order to reduce the number OF hours
or night flying by racing toward the sun.
NO definite time has been set for the
start, but the rival aviators, who are on
the friendliest Of terms. created a furry
tonight In the ranks Of American news
papermen assigned to cover the contest
when they announced an "armistice" had
been declared, and that both had post
poned their departure for a month.
Suspecting this to be a display of
British humor newspapermen questioned
them further. At first they declared
again that this agreement had been
reached Tentatively" but later they ad-
mitted they were having "a bit of a
Joke"
Snow. falling inches deep. added to-
day to the mire OF the take off grounds
II the mud thickens Raynhams chance
of being first to fly will be improved
for whereas Hawker will have to taxi
through a DOGGY field with ''fifty-hfty
odds Of getting UP speed, his rival will
be able to rush down a road into the
air. Even this road. however. was be-
coming "gummy" to-day.
weather Improves at Might.
Weather conditions we're slightly bet.
ter tonight, for the blizzard" Of early
morning had been blown out to sea
There was. however, none of the IA
voring winds for which both pilots have
been praying.
Major Arthur Partridge. II. A. F.. rep
resenting the Royal Aero Club, as Of
f1.,ia 90 he t,,,t
clubs seal to the Martinsyde late to-
day after Il had been pronounced by its
pilot At to fly. He also recorded the
engine number. These formalities over,
the plane was graduated TO the storage
reached by the Sopwith about a week
ago.
The Martinsyde. however is scheduled
to make a trial flight before its dash
overseas, but II was said tonight at
Raynham's Camp that II weather did
not allow OF this preliminary flight he
was ready to start the race after merely
testing the engine while the plane was
on the ground.