The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-24
Commander Towers Brings Air
ship Safely Through Ter
rifle Gale
MISSING PLANE AT
PONTA DEL GADA
Bellinger's Machine Too Badly
Damaged to Continue Flight.
Reid Waiting on the Weather

the missing seap!ane NC, faSShlp
of the American naval transatlantic
fight squadron. enterd Ponta Del
Gada harbor today under her own
power, nearly so hours from the time
she was forced down by fog when al
most in sight OF the Azores on the
record breaking flight from New
founGland for Lisbon and Plymouth,
England.
Searching baitleships and destroy
ers were securing the seas and naval
officials mad all but abandoned hope
for the safety Of The flying ship anG
her crew of five when warShips at
! Ponta Del GaGa saw the plane tax
ing across the water headed for the
Hight objective in the Azores. Rear
Admiral Jackson immediately dis
patched the tidings 10 the navy de-
partrnent by cable, relieving the anx-
iety Of officials and ending the long
vigil Mrs Towers had kept since first
news came last Saturday morning that
her husbands plane had been lost III
the fog 900 miles from the Azores
The story OF the plucky fight the
| HlSIC COEtIlitiI(sSI >I!Alt tiAo itSti WI \
forced 10 make for TWO days and
nights was not expected at the navy
department before tomorrow. for Of
fcials realized that the aviators must
! have been almost exhausted when
they reached their hayen.
With the crew safe the matter Of
greatest moment was the condition OF
the plane and whether it would be
able to continue ths flight TO Lisbon.
No information as to this had reached
the department tonight, but officers
would not be surprised if it was found
that the ship could proceed without
extensive repairs.
Meanwhile Lieut. Comndr. n. c.
Read with the NC-4 still was weather
bound at Horta and the NC-1, third
ship Of the aerial fleet was officially
! described as in an almost sinking
condition, 20 miles Off Corva Island.
! Azores, with the destroyer Fairfax
/ standing by Lieutenant Commander
! Bcllinger and his crew Of the NC-1
are aboard the cruiser Columbia at
| Ho1ra. definitely out Of the race, ac-
co:Gng to Bellinscr's own report or
i the condition Of his machine. e
With his arrival at Ponta Del Gada.
! Commander Towers again takes active
command OF the fight situation.
! Whether Commander Read in the NC
shall proceed alone at the earliest
possible moment or await refitting of
:; the NC 10 resume the flight de-
pends on the condition Of the latter
plane. officers here believed the
proceed on the next lap soon as
weather permits. a cable fash from
Rear Rdniral Jackson announcing
/; that the NC-3 has been sighted ap-
| preaching Ponta Del Gada on the
water under its own power lifted the
gloom that slowly had settled over
the navy department as the hours
! passed With no word from Towers and
i his men. The good news ran like
wild fire through the corridors.
Even under the depression Of
earlier hours. however, officers were
quick With tributes to the S;.llantry
+! Of Harry G. Hawker. the daring Aus
! tra!ian whose single handed attempt
to cross the Atlantic by air, stalking
his life and that Of his pilot on pure
! luck. appealed to them strongly as 4
sporting venture. Officers said, should
the Australian succeed, from no one
would he receive heartier congratuia-
tions.
News of Commander Towers safety
meant that not only had II officers of
the American navy flung themselves
! through more than 100 sea miles nf
space 10 arrive at a tiny group Of IS
lands in mid ocean: but that Amer
can scapiare construction had stood
the test of storm Oh the surface as
Wen as having conquered the air.
;; II had been :. saying Of the service
that The planes are buiiut TO ride any
seas in which they could land. The
NC-3 did more than that. She rode
out on 4 gale that is SAID TO have ap-
preached n 80 mile rate at times and
came scrcncly taxing into port hav-
course under guidance OF her skillinl
crew. This spoke loudly TO Officers
here of both sound building and raie
skill and ingenuity. 1t established.
they said, a record for the service.
probably for the world.
When Secretary Daniels got word
Of Towers safety he promptly per
sonally tclephoned ii to Mrs. Towers.
wife OF the officer who had clIn@
couraeeously to her faith cnd hope
through the endless: hours Of waiting
hTc secretary also flashed 10 the
officer a message OF congratulation
and assurance as TO Mrs. Towers
knowledge that he was safe. Later
Mrs Towers received a cables"atl
from her husband saying only ste
and we'll" but full Of meaning 10 hcr.
Reports on weather conditions
about the Azores, cabled TO thu de-
partment tonight by Admiral jack
son. were not altogether favorai.'a for
a start by the NC-4 on the next icG
OF tho flight Rain squalls still nv'r-
spread that part Of the oce:n and the