Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-15

Washington. May S--With two or the
three navy seaplanes which started
! from Rockaway. l.. l., this morning on
the first leg of the transatlantic flight
arrived safely at Halifax. navy OFF,
ciats were bending every energy to-
night TO locating the third, miss!ns
. since early in the afternoon. No re-
iport of the missing machine the NC-4,
commanded by Lieut.. Com. A. G.. Eead,
had been received after the machine
passed the destroyer McDermut. frst
station ship. located more than 60 miles
north of Cape Cod and less than half
way TO Halifax.
, Orders were Issued at once sending
the McDermut and the next ship beyond
her. the Kimberly, in search of the
missing seaplane. Commander Read
had reported just before reaching the
McDermut that the oil pump on one of
his motors was giving trouble and he
might have to come down. Later the
Nc reported to Commander Towers in
! tn NC-S that the trouble had been re-
paired.
Comma nder Towers with the NC-l and
/ NC.3 made the trip To Halifax in frac-
I ton less than niue hours, the distance
! on the map over the course they took
| being 80 miles These two planes went
! through the test in such fashion as to
convince officers here that prospects for
! reaching Plymouth, England, the uti-
mate goal OF the navy ajrmen. were ex-
ceedingly bright.
Each of the three planes had a triple
radio installation when it left Rockaway.
One set was the telephone by which
! they communicated with each other while
| in fight al distance of score or more
miles Stations and euardshps list
/ ened in on many of these conversations
and reported them The second set was
| the regular long distance radio install
lation and the third was the equipment
for the radio compasses.
| AS the planes approached one OF the
| patrol ships long before it was sighted
the long distance radio was buzzing.
Questions and answers flashed hack and
forth, dealing with directions for naviga
ton. Important communications were
relayed to and from the speeding sea
planes. some from Washington. One
carried greetings to Commander Towers
and his crews from Acting Secretary
Roosevelt who watched the trip with
keen interest all day as the department
! messages came in. Another reiayed
cahled assurances from London tina,
every facility OF the British admiralty
would be a. the disposal of the daring
American airmen when they reached
| British waters.
The commmica ton arrangements OF
the navy department worked out per-
fectly. Repeatedly messages from Com
mander Towers. sent from his speeding
flagship of the air squadron, the NC-3
reached the desks Of officers here in a
few minutes of the time they were sent
Intercepted by any OF the radio stations
ashore or afloat on the chain reaching
clear TO Halifax, they were rushed to
Washington on the navy's leased wire.
The entire operation of the system was
grouped under direction Of Lieutenant
Tuns A. NJ. Craven. On one side Of the
leutenants office is room where the
leased wires brought III the messages. Or
the other side is the trans-A tlantic radio
equipment. Reports from Commando,
Towers could be sent 10 vice-Admira
Knapp in London almost as quickly as
they could be carried into Secretary
Roosevelts office across the hall.
Throughout the day Lieutenant Crave,
kept a communication log on the flight
made up from the messages that came
The log pictures graphically The swift
rush northward OF the bis flying boat.
with their crews Even the fifty minute.
that elapsed after the NC-l and NC-3 wer'
safely mOored for the the night at Hall
fax and before the cruiser Baltimore
stationed there, sent in the official repor
Of the arrival, is shown. Had not tina
slip occurred. it could have been known
officially in London that two Of the three
American seaboats had made the frs
lap of the transatlantic journey oil
schedule time almost before the ma
chimes themselves had been moored.
More difficulty will be experienced IL
getting word through promptly when %,
the long lap from New Foundland TO ti'
Azores.
, When tho NTH or sixth station ship ma
, been left behind communication VIII h'
; sent ahead to be relayed back ny cable
, The destroycrs cannot communicat'
more than 30 miles ny radio in day fim'
, and they will leave their posts after th'
last of The flyers has passed..