The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-17
Nc 4, LAME
DUCK PLANE,
HITS AZORES
IN FAST time
Commander Reads Craft
Wings Way From New
foundland to Horta In IS
Hours and l3 Minutes.
NC | IS CLOSE BEHIND
BULLETIN!

BULLETIN!
Ponta Deloada, Azores, May II (6y
the Associated Press)-The NC ~
ported at $40 a. m. (Greenwich tIme)
that she had been forced to aIight In
the open sea 200 miles northwest Of
| Fayal. Four destroyers have gone
to he resistance.
The NC 8 Is believed to be lost in
the fog. The flagship Of the flight
| reported at Ais a. m. Greenwich
time) that she was off her course be-
tween stations number II and 10.
Nothing has been heard Of the NC 8
since.
| WASHINGTON, D. c.. May 1.-THE
American naval seaplane, NC 4, un-
der Lieutenant-Co Albert &.
Read, has attained its first objective
in the transatlantic flight, having
landed safely at Horta, island of Fay
al, Azores, at s:2o o'clock this morn
ing washington time), after winging
her way from Trepassey Bay, New
foundland, in fifteen hours and thir-
teen minutes.
The NC 1, under Lieutenant-Co
mander Patrick N. L. Bellinger, was
close behind the NC 4, but the NC 8,
ers, was last reported at 5:15 a. m.
washington time), as OF her course
somewhere between Station Ships II
and 18, about 100 miles from Horta.
Forced to Land by Fog.
Original plans were for the planes
to land at Ponta Delgada, and it may
be that the NC l and NC will con-
tinue on to that port, which is about
$50 miles east of Horta. Fog evident
ly forced Commander Read to land at
: Horta and officials here assumed that
after taking fuel from the cruiser Col
umbia, he would continue to Ponta
Delgada to spend the night before tax
ing fight for Lisbon. Portugal, on the
next leg OF the overseas voyage.
, Commander Read reached Horta
several hours ahead Of the scheduled
time for the fight, officials having es-
timated that twenty hours would be
required for the seaplanes to reach
Ponta Delgada. Had he continued to
that port at the speed maintained
throughout the long voyage, Com
mander Read would have covered the
. 1850 miles in little more than sew
enteen hours.
The fact that the NC was the first
/ of the three planes to reach the
/ Azores drew comment from naval Off
GERS here. The ship was the lame
duck of the division from the time
it started from Rockaway Beach, L. l.
i Three Of her four Liberty motors
v which drove the ship to the Azores
r were installed after it left Rockaway
y because of trouble with the original
}. motors.
Lisbon Big Objective.
The machine which will achieve the
q distinction of being first to cross the
Atlantic ocean will be that which ar
rives first at Lisbon, Portugal, the first
: European landing place of the fight
Il and starting point of the last leg to
= Plymouth, England.
- y While the performance of the NC 4
: is viewed as the most spectacular avi-
4 alton achievement In the history of
. heavier-than-air crafts, Commander
!. Read has not equalled the American
q navy record.
ISLANDERS WATCH FOR SHIPS.
PONTO DELGADA, Azores, May II.
with the seap1ane NC-4 already
landed on the Island of Fayal, the
:, American craft has completed a diff
- cult section of the race to Europe.
The other planes were going strong
in the wake of their leader The av.
, erage speed of the NC-4 was computed
at more than seventy-f1ve miles an
's hour.
4 The news from the on-comiug sea
s. planes brought interest in the trans
: Atlanic fight to high pitch this
u morning. Small knots of people gath
e cred on the water front shortly after
ID daybreak to seek news of the fliers
i and to await their arrival, and as the
j. day progressed the crowd rapidly in
u creased.
4 The section of the harbor where the
i planes will be mored has been cleared
of all craft to permit of safe landing
u Two destroyers are ready to assist
u the planes if they alight outside the
D. breakwater.
t The city here is in gala dress fol
the expected event of the day, anc
Admiral Jackson has invited the high
civil officials to view the arrival of this
f1iers from one OF the American wal
craft stationed here
The weather was misty and the visi
bility poor early this morning, bu
II clearing weather was predicted fol
n this afternoon when the planes ar,
q due to arrive.
The departure of the seaplanes from
Trepassey was first reported here a
al 11:44 o'clock last night, when the tor
1e pedo boat tender Melville received
Il wireless message reading: "Plane
he in flight" This Information, whicl
lie was rapidy circulated about the city
to caused much animation in American
IN naval headquarters, which was be
IS, seiged with inquiries regarding tn
fight. The food of questions poure
sh in upon the headquarters continuin
IN through the night
in An hour after the announcement O
Id the start a definite statement of tn
I'd time of the departure was received
lg Nothing further came In until 3:15 /
as m, when the NC-3 reported havin
as passed station Number z. 35o mile
OF from Newfoundland.
Al i,.nl In