New-York tribune., 1919-03-22
Nem ] ork 7'ribuns
frnh1r. p,.


copyright. 1919. New York Tribune 1nc)
LONDON, March 21.--The transat-
lontic flight cables from New York for
the last two days have reacted quickly
mere. Even officials Oft Air Depart
ment were surprised to learn this
morning that the flying boat Porte had
been shipped to Newfoundland to-day.
IN addition, the steamship Montcalm
lett the Thames carrying equipment
ana air Kites to record air movements.
temperature and humidity in the At.
lantc as invaluable information which
Will be placed freely at the disposal Of
al! competing aviators.
Barring mishaps, it is expected the
Porte Will start upon her flight in
about month. This will be the hrst
oiiicial attempt to cross tho Atlantic
by air, but public interest here centres
mainly on the private attempts for
"Thc Daily Mails" $4,000 prize, from
which official machines are barred.
Hoping to win with his big Sopwith
biplane, Harry G. nawker, the Austria
lian aviator sailed Tuesday "brimful
of confidence and complete to the
smallest nut" for Halifax on the
steamship Digby, with his machine
aboard, and accompanied by staff of
mechanics, and also by Commander
Mackenzie Grieve, who is to be the
navigator Of the trip.
White head Machine Missing
1t is matter of comment that the,
Whitehead machine. which is to bd
piloted by Captain Arthur Havne, and
which is entered for the Daily Mail"
contest, has failed TO appear yet but
Whitehead is a sort of an erratic
genius and delights III springing sur
prises at the last moment The Aero
Club, managers of the contest, ex-
pect several other entries within
fortnight, certain firms holding back
because of secret construction of their
machines.
Mr.. Hawker, who is technical en-
pert for the Sopwiths, gained fame in
gallant attempt to win Lord North
clitfe's S25,000 waterplane contest in
1913. His flying machine, which has
been hurriedly and secretly con-
structed in the last two months, is
forty-six feet wide, thirty-one feet
long and has flight duration of twen-
ty-five hours at 100 miles an hour. Its
375 horsepower Rolls Royce engine has
twelve cylinders with four Watford
magnetos, each firing six cylinders, so
there is double spark for each
cylinder.
The machine originally contained a
wireless for long distance communi-
cation with shore and ship stations,
but on account Of the weight this has
been replaced by short range in
strument capable of communicating
with shipping.
Schedule Is 49,. Hours
Captain Grieve believes that. pro-
vided the weather remains fair no
great difficulties are likely to be ex-
perienced in fixing the position of the
aeroplane every few hours. Mr.. Haw-
ker believes he will make the fight in
nineteen and q half hours flying time
lie states he recently flew 900 miles in
five hours and fortyfve minutes. He
purposes to leave st. Johns at o'clock
IN the afternoon, touch the south coast
OF Ireland at noon next day, and to
arrive at Brooklands acrodrome at
p. m. In case he is forced too descend
he Will lower light folding boat
which can support him and Captain
Grieve for considerable time.
A medical officer attached to the Air
Ministry has prepared a scientific food
box representing food value of 5000