The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-04
NAVYOVERSEA TRIP
SET FOR NEXT WEEK
Three Big Seaplanes Will
start North From Rock
away Tomorrow.
FINAL TRIALS ARE GIVEN
Filters Put Into Commission as
First NC Division, With
Towers at Head.
FINAL TRIALS ARE GIVEN

r,rpAssrr. n. F., May 3.--The giant
,.sn,anes OF the United States Navy will
,,.rt on Monday from Rockaway Point
-, ,he first leg of their transatlatic
.,r,t Il was announced here tonight
rhev are scheduled to leave Trepassey
-, che Azores between May ~ and II.
All OF the navy's NC transatlantic
,,srs had received tryouts by last night
f., their final racing rigs. They were
,,rmally commissioned yesterday morn
,,g az ships" of the navy and Com
handler John II. Towers was put in COM
,,ard of the First NC Seaplane Division.
into which they are constituted, with
.he same status as the commander OF a
nnIt Of any seagoing vessels in fun com
mission.
Mar IN her final state. This plane was
rrecked in the severe storm OF three
reeks ago and her reconstruction with
,our motors was completed yesterday.
With a light load she took the air for a
brief trial flight.
The NC-3, whose reliability under full
had has been tested, was tried out yester-
day with an experimental set of propel-
lsrs They did not function properly.
however, and the fiier did not get of the
water in a two hour trial. Commander
towers said that a successful flight was
hardly expected, as defects In the manu-
,acture of the propellers had been dis
covered before they were attached.
Commissioning of the three craft with
brief but Impressive ceremonies marked
their transfer from the jurisdiction Of
Commander @. c. Westervelt OF the Con-
struction Corps to that of Commander
Towers a line officer. Commander Wes-
tervelt's technical men will be with the
craft until they sail.
commander Westervelt," said Mr..
Towers yesterday, has been in techni-
cal charge Of the planes until now"
Officers ut the Commissioning.
Those at the commissioning included
Capt. Powers Symington, chief aide to
Admiral Glennon. commandant Of the
Third Naval District; Commander Wes-
teryelt. Lieut.. Commander Schofield. aide
for aviation: Capt. w. R. Hall Of the
Coast Guard. district inspector of aero
nautic engineering material; Lieut.. H
2. Johnston and Commander Richard
W. tdUdlllSs' III NoIiihoiiu VI LILO tNoSh-
away Point station.
Promptly at IL o'clock the eighteen
men Of the three transatlantic crews
were lined up at attention between tn.
NC-3 and NC-1 on the broad concrete
platform before the hangar. The NC-4
was in the doorway of the hangar. Al
the men saluted a bugler sounded '"Tc
the Colors' and the national ensign wa:
hoisted at the tails of the planes. The
Union Jack was broken out at the bow
and a commission pennant was hoistet
aoft. Capt Symington then read the
following order from the chief of the
Bureau of Navigation of the Navy De.
psrtmeut to the commander of the nava
district
Place in commission seaplanes NC-1
NC-2 and NC-4 and assign them to NC
Seaplane Division No. l."
Commander Towers read his owl
orders detaching him from the Bureau
OF Operations in the Navy Department
and directing him 10 report TO the Com
mandant Of the Third District for as
gnment to NC special division as soor
as ii was commissioned. The three crew:
sa'uted and Capt. Symington shook hand!
with each man and wished him a SAT,
yOyage.