The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-24
Read Read for light
Seaplane VIII Go Next To Lisbon
60 Complete Transatlantic
Flight

ponta Del Gada, May 20 (Ry the
Associated Press).-Lieut- Comndr-
ALBERT G. Read, in command OF the
aAnerican seaplane NC-4 expects TO
sfart for Lisbon at s O'Clock tomorro"
morning. He hopes to reach there De-
fore dark,
- If all is well Hitn the tight, an
overnight stop viii be made at Lisbon
and the NG-4 Will proceed to Ply
nieuth, weather permitting
me NC-4 was o9eIhauled here to-
DAY and took oa q full supply of fuel
The NC-1. commanded by Lieut.
Commndr. IN, l. Bellinsec, sank on
Hprvo ftfs afternoon. The heavy seas
made towing impossible and the Unit
sd States destroyer Fairfax stood ny
waiting for the weather to moderate.
But the body Of the machine flied
ssith water and the wings were osotA-
en Off. This combined with the
freight of the engine caused the p!ahe
fo settle many fathoms deep.
Exceptionally bad weather "1i.tl
was totally unexpected, was the sols
reason for the failure Of ali three M %
fhe. American navys seaplanes ~ iiy
from Trepassey, N. F., to Fon'@
Eada on schedule time, salo ON
naanderS John Towers ro the cofie-
sDondeni of the Associated fress TO-
night 80
the man who commanded the
overseas fight in his flagship NC
and the members Of his crew VINO had
received q severe buffeting both 1foh
sthe storm overhead and the tufpulen'
sea when the plane was damaged SAT
aar5ay in alighting on the water, We're
much refreshed tonight after having
Tegained sleep lost while bucklng the
aferm for ls hours and being adrl1t
hours or more. entirely out of com
rnnnication with the world.
-: sz:sIndivddually,' said Commander
Towers the members Of the crew OF
3flse NC-3 virtually. gave up nope Oh
Being rescued Saturday night but col
feetiyely they showed no signs OF
4sar and carried on until they arrived
"a port here Monday and heard the
forts hring salvos in welcome and
witnessed the scene Of general juDlia-
tsou over their escape from the sea-
ssHaying run short of fuel and en-
countering heavy fog the NC-3 came
down at 'clock Saturday afternoon
! Ia. order that we might obtain our
bearings. The plane was damaged as
ii reached the water and was unable
again Go rise While we were drifting
the 205 miles in the heavy storm the
high seas washed over OF pounded the
plane and the boat began to leak. SO
& FAST did the water enter the boat that
I fhe members of the crew took turn IN
i bailing the hull with a small hand
Pump, while others stood on the
wings in order to keep the plane IN
balance. Meanwhile we were steer
ing landward.
hat our radio was out Of conmls-
ssipn was not known to the crew until
car arrival here. Communication had
been cut OF since o'clock Monday
morning owing to our having lost our
ground wire.
eWe ate chocolate and drank wafer
I from our radiators. This was our
only means Of subsistence. The crew
smoked heavily in order to keep
awake while we were drifting. No one
oftus obtained more than four hours
sleep after leaving Trepassey until
Ponta Del Gada was reached.
The hands of all the members of the
crew OF the NC-3 were badly swollen
s. as s. result of their heroic work at the
pump. Otherwise they did not under
30 any suffering except Lieutenant
Commander Mccullough, one of the
pilots who had a rather severe attack
OF seasickness. The men have fully