Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1919-05-17
RIBBON OF ships
MARKS AIR Lane
FOR SEA FLIGHT
Sixty Destroyers Stationed Fifty
Miles Apart Along Route Are
on Watch for Mishaps.
SAFECUARDED BY RADIO

cident with the start from Trepassev Raw
in Newfoundland late Friday of American
navy seaplanes in an effort to make the
first transatlantic flight, the navy denart-
ment made public an order issued April 15-
which governs the action OF every aircraft
and naval vessel connected with the long
flight and provides against almost every
possible contingency which may arise dur
Ing the aerial voyage. The order contains
more than two thousand words and is one
OF the most comprehensive ever issued bv
the department
When the plan for the rans-Atlantic
flight was first conceived, the task Of safe
guarding the seaplanes and of obtaining
meteorological data necessary to the ven
ture was placed in the hands Of the COM
mander Of the destroyer fleet. The order.
which was made public today. thus was is
sued by Captain Harris Laning, chief Of
staff, destroyers force
Complete in every detail the order pro-
vides for the stationing and subsequent
movements of sixty destroyers. four bat
tleships and number Of auxiliary naval
vessels in connection with the flight.
Theroute-wh7cIY the s3arIanes are TO fake
to the Azores il marked by ribbon Of des-
These vessels have been on their stations
for several days and have kept the depart
ment here and the naval officials mt Ire
passey Bay constantly informed as to the
meteorological conditions along the course
In addition to the destroyers four bat
tleships- the Florida, Utah, Texas and Wy
oming, have ben stationed an the outskirts
OF the course to furnish further meteor
logical data throughout the flight.
The seaplanes are i'm constant communi-
cation with the naval vessels at all times
In addition to the radio communication the
destroyers along the route are provided
with special Illuminating torches, star shells
and flares for use at night to mark the
course and are in constant readiness to
answer s. O. s. calls or other distress sig
mails should accident befall one of the big
planes.
Twenty-one destroyers are stationed on
the Trepassey Bay-Azores leg. with four
additional vessels in reserve to replace any
craft which may be called upon to answer
an ). O. S. signal or itself become disabled
As the seaplanes pass above a destroyer the
latter obtains radio communication, ascer-
tains the condition Of the planes and indi-
Gates the true course to the next vessel.
During the night the destroyers on sta
tion one to sixteen will keep brilliantly IL
Illuminated TO provide against the seaplanes
missing a ship and thus losing their way
To guard against this contingency further
the destroyers are ordered in the event the
seaplanes have not been sighted az the ap-
proxlmate time they should arrive, to make
smoke clouds, show searchlights, fire star
shells and notify the next ship to the west
ward. The next vessel i'm the line will make
the same signals for three-quarters Of an
nour before the planes are due to arrive.
Upon being notified that it has been
sighted by planes or when a station ship
sights the fliers, the vessel will Immediately
stop smoking or firing star shells, will take
the exact course to the next station and will
steam slowly on that course TO indicate the
proper route and keep the radio communi-
cation with the flying ships in operation.
Planes forced to land on the water dur
ing darkness will indicate their position
and condition by radio, rockets and flares
with the following meaning: Gren star
can get off water again; no assistance is
required; Red star or flare-Assistancc Is
required In the event that one plane is
forced to land the others will remain i'm
the vicinity until report Of her condition
Is received or assistance arrives
During the flight all destroyers stationed
all alongt he route are to display "A num-
Der which will indicate to the fliers the dis
tance they have covered Careful precau-
tions have been taken BY the navy depart
ment to keep the air clear of all except the
emergency radio messages during the time
OF flight. II, while off station, destroyer
sights any planes, whether known to be en-
gagged IN the transatlantic flight or not il
Is ordered to signal to the plane the duty
IT is on, and If desired the true course to
the next vessel on station. All ships in the
vicinity are instructed TO proceed with all
possible speed in answer to an S. o. S.