Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-18
ONE Plane. IN
TOW OF VESSEL.
FLAGSHIP LOST
NC4, "Lame Duck" Of Squad
ron, 0utdistances Compan-
ions and Lands at Horta,
Island Of Fayal.

CONTINUED From Page one.)
did not mean an actual distress call.
It was sent out in compliance with
orders, requiring the planes to give
such signals, if forced to descend be-
! fore the actual landing was made.
tOn the surface the big flying
boats cannot flash radio calls be-
yond a 25-mile radius. The planes
themselves can hear all that goes
on about them in a l00-mile circle,
but>cannot answer. 1t was pointed
out that fog heavy enough to
drive the air boats down would also
serve, to blind the destroyers com
pletsy in their search.
Honor Goes to Read.
To Lieutenant Commander Read,
commanding the NC-4, goes the
honor of having made without in,
terruption the most daring journey
ever attempted in an arship of any
kind. Rising from dinner last night
in the. wardroom of the mine layer
Aroostook at Trepassey bay, N. r.,
he and his men breakfasted soon
after 9 o'clock aboard the cruiser
Columbia at,Horta. But for the fog
that clamped down on the NC-4, as
it sighted Pico Heights across from
Horta, they would have boarded the
u, S. S. Milville before noon today
and been ready to jump again to-
morrow--this tinie for Lisbon, the
city marking. the end of the actual
flight over the Atlantic.
Acting Secretary Roosevelt SAINT
the congratulations of the navy to
Commander Read today when it ap-
peared certain the NC-3 and NC-l
had been indefinitely held up by the
fog banks
May Have Pushed On.
Naval officials here were some:
what in doubt tonight as to Com
mander Reads plans for continuing
the flight to Lisbon. One message
from the Columbia at Horta said
the NC-4 would not attempt to pro-
coed to Ponta Del Gada until to-
morrow. A later report from the
latter place, however, said the
weather was clearing shortly after
noon and Commander Read may
have decided to push on. A delay
of five or six hours in transmission
of cable messages from the Azores
left the situation there in doubt.
1t was believed that Commander
Read would start for Lisbon at his
earliest opportunity. Horta to Lis
bon direct would add $50 miles to
the journey, making it possible that
the airship would be forced to make |
a landing after dark, should it at
tempt to catch up TOMORROW.
Averaged 90 Miles Hour.
Horta, Island of Fayal, May IL
lBy Associated. Press. 1.-THE NC-4
averaged 90 miles per hour to Horta
Bay, and, according to Lieutenant
Commander Read, made the flight
in Is hours and Is minutes.
The three seaplanes for a consid-
cradle time after their start from
'Tfepassey flew virtually together,
but finally the NC-4 drew ahead.
Commander Read looked to be in !
Spl6UQlu -EOuultlUll OI his dltlNdA
here. When about 200 miles from
Coryo island, he said, he, met bad
and fog. This continued to
the end. His plane flew at an alti-
tude of 5000 feet. 1t was compelled
to come down close to the, water,
owing to the fog.
There was no mishap during the
passage and the NC-4 was found to
Be in perfect condition. /
The members of the crew had no
sleep, but nourished themselves fair
" well on sandwiches. The men
were all fit and anxious to continue
TO Europe.
D Commander Read said the NC-1
had made a landing at sea close to
Horta, but the NC-3 had not been
heard from for a considerable time,
During the early part of the flight
the seaplanes were favored with full
and they met three steam
ers on the way.