Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-19

lOfS improved little, though not as
favorable as they would have demanded
had not the Americans been well
started on. their. passage, they went
directly to the Mount Pearl plateau,
where the Sopwith was waiting in the
airdrome. and began preparation for
| the flight
No Trace of Nervousness.
They were wholly calm a the start.
Methodically. and without the slight
est trace of nervousness. they climbed
aboard their small craft and set to
work dispassienateIy. Hawker,s con-
fidenee in his navigator and in his
engine was absolue, he said, quietly.
After preliminary spin OF the mo-
tor Hawker opened his throttle to
the full. and the ground crew was
forced to call for help to hold the
plane in place. Hawker throttled
down again. said a few final words,
and then gave the word to knock out
the supporting blocks from benea tn
the craft as he opened wide the
throttle.
Hawker followed his announced in
tent1on when he dropped the under
carriage of his plane. Some persons
thought the act Was intended as a
challenge to his rival. Raynham, and
er before. he started: ~ VI "A
How about old .Tinsideso Tell
Raynham I'll greet him at Brook
lands, England. - -z,.
The wireless sent word of Rayn-
MANS mishap to Hawker and Macken-
zie Grieve after they had put to sea
Opinion here is that one result Of the
message will be the cutting down of
HaWkers speed. as the Sopwith will
not be forced to racing speed now
that its rival has been eliminated from
the overseas eontezt.
At the start. the sun was only a,
little over two hours beyond the
meridian. The flying adventurers had
It's aid in navigating for four or five
hours as they sped eastward. After
That they plunged into darkness over
the ocean. with the prospect of star
Lght ana moonlight TO-, break the
to serve as navigation guides.
Heads Straight for Ireland.
Barring untoward events the pIane
should meet the sun again just short
of mid-Atlantic and race against ira
westward swing to reach the Irish
S Toase before darkness falls again
mackenzie Grieve declared before the
start that the sOpwith would head
straight for Ireland
II We strike Ireland anywhere We
VIII have found our mark, he ssi,
oat III we NIT England. We will be
nearer home" -"
Indications tonight we're that wsst-
eriy winds would favor the fiyers for
the first thousand miles or tbair
course. The remainder of the wav
will be "ticklish" sailing, and IL IL
thought possible that Grieve will
nave 70 pend MS course somewhat
south to avoid wind and waafhar
dangers in the last half of the fiiabt
A large part Of Grieves work viii
be in noting observations of air c,,r-
rents encountered.
Although Atlantic air currents
can never be marked he said. Il hope
to compile observations that win
make the transatlantic passage nos
sibie with fewer uncertainties for
later flyers than those which CON
front pioneers on the trackless wav.
We are relying chiefly on astro-
nomical positions which we plan by
use OF the sextant. getting an hourly
sun altitude in the. daytime and
working with. the North star at
night. Should thick weather obscure
the SKY, we are prepared to use the
clouds for calculating purposes, al
though we admit the results would
be only approximate
Every Minute a Busy One.
Every minute of the long fight
will be busy one. Watching Their
momstera. altIneters, wind Ra.,1as
OIL pressure registers. using the sex
tant to shoot tho sun or stars and
dropping smoke bombs oversize, hs-
uring bearings and keeping a con-
slant ear to the tiny wireless will oc-
cupy all spare moments"
WITHIN the past few days Hawker
mad installed radio set with a
transmitter of ESQ miles radius.
In the Sopwith plane Hawker and
other than light "skids," witch must
do the work of the under carriage
which he dropped at the start. The
possibility of accident to Hawker's
plane is great: although no said he
favorable conditions, with a very
short run" he will smash his pro.
pelier and wreck the little craft at
first transatlantic flight.
II the sopwitn u forcsd into the
s sea a "a and no Grsys have little
in n Watertisht ': sui men w are Se arr
designed to keep them floating many
hours. but as their course 10 outside
the lanes of shipping. the chances OF
their being picked up are virtually
Hawkers wireless set will allow
him to receive wireless messages
from ships a long distance off, and
the radio calls he will be able to in
tercept will aid his navigator greatly
| in keeping on his course. But the
sending apparatus cannot transmit
over $50 miles. it is said, and once
beyond the transatlantic shippine
lanes it is doubtful II an S. 8. s
| would be picked up by a steamer.
What was probably the last mes
! sage to the Sopwith from shore was
| wireless tonight telling OF a fresh
q tvf>n al
over Iceland. It was radiosraphod
| from St. Johns upon receipt Of mo.
neurological advices from the open sea
Both Hawker and Mackenzie Grieye