New-York tribune., 1919-05-09
higher, circled the hangar thrice, and
then departed on Liberty Loan dem
onstration.
Designers of PLANES See Start

then departed on Liberty Loan DEM
onstration.
Designers of PLANES See Start
About the beach were some 500 for
tunate people; relatives, friends of the
crews, officials, reporters and photog
raphers. Among them were the men
whose genius had designed and per-
fected the 'planes-now waiting pa
tiently to see the fruition of their
plans.
There stood Commander G. c. West
ervelt and Lieutenant Commander
Hunsaker, who, together with Com
mander H. C. Richardson, one of the
pilots of the NC3, were the three
navy men responsible for designing the.
remarkable craft. Richardson is lucky
because he has been given the oppor-
tunity to fly the product of his genius
In the eyes of both Westervet and
Hunsaker could be seen the desire for
the same honor, but their duties keep
them here.
Engineer Gilmore, of the Curtis Cor
poration, and his assistants, who coop
Grated with the three naval men in de-
signing the craft, were also there to
see the start.
Captain Noble E. Irwin, head of the
Bureau of Operations, and his two
daughters were there. One Of them,
Phyllis performed a pretty little cere
mony by going around to each member
of the three crews and presenting 2
four leaf clover.
Others present included Margaret
Jane, the eight-year-old daughter of
Commander Richardson, and her
mother. Mrs. Ida E. Harding. aunt Of
Lieutenant L. T. BARN, one of the
pilots, came on from Norfolk, Va, to
see the start. Herbert l.. Satterlee,
member of the firm of J. P. Morgan,
and former Secretary of the Navy,
and Mrs. Satterlee were present. In
all about twelve women were present.
Rations for Trip Served
A few minutes after Commander
Towers announced his decision Lieu
tenant ]. L. Breese, beaming joyousy,
ran over with the ration of sandwiches
and thermos bottles Of hot coffee that
are to sustain the crew as far as Hall
fax He handed them up to the men
on his boat, the N C-4-the only one
which did not make preliminary spin.
SO we'll did he do it that the "movie"
men did not have a chance to "get"
him. They voiced their protest and he
willingly accommodated them by per-
forming the Job all over again.
At 9:43 o'clock Commander Towers
"SiAc oHCdiN iiiS h06oHiP HC ~ O-f
was on the launching platform of the
marine railway. In the water on her
left was the N ca, while the c.
3 was on her right, also in the water
AS he took his station in the COM
manding officers cockpit Commander
Towers waved his handkerchief and
shouted to the people waiting on the
beach:
"Goodby, boys. There is nothing that
|
from being in Halifax by G o'clock,
which will be the end Of the first lap,
The men are fine set; we couldn't
have better. We have been looking for
ward to this kind Of weather for near
ly week. We are confident that the
American navy seaplanes will be the
first to cross the Atlantic Ocean"
Wireless Connection Assured
Lieutenant Commander r.. A. Laven-
der, chief radio officer, who is in Com
mander Towers's plane, at the last
moment said: "Our wireless instru-
ing tip top. We will be in touch
. with at least two destroyers by wire
! less all the time. If any apa-
ratus should go wrong on one destroy
4 er we can get in touch with another
or with land"
t Lieutenant Commander Bellinger
8 commander of the NC-l, was boyishl!
a happy His flying suit has always beer
n thing of beauty and wonder to thu
= rest Of the crews, and with his beam
s ing smile yesterday morning, 1t gay
t him boyish look that seemed to bell
the fact that he is one of the navy
= | first aviators.
r He was smoking big cigar whe,
y the newspapermen trooped over TO hin
4 7or his last message. lie sad witt
= the help of God, and in spite Of tn
r devil, we will do this little thing" hi
Southern accent smoothing out the de
" termination Of his phrase.
: Lieutenant Commander A. G. Read
Of the NC-4, a smaller, guicter an
9 more serious man, naid: Nothing Aa