The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-03-28
FLIGHT ACROSS OCEAN
PLANS ARE PERFECTED
Naval Seaplanes Will Make Start
From ROckaway Beach Some
Time i'm May.


seaplanes which are to attempt a
hight across the Atlantic ocean in
May will start from Rockaway
Beach, Long Island. but the actual
jumping off" place will be much
farther up the coast. possibly at
some point in New Foundland.
Whether the machines will steer a
direct course for Ireland or follow
the longer route via the Azores ap-
parently has not yet been deter
mined.
Acting Secretary Roosevelt an
nounced the destroyer Barney had
been ordered to proceed to New
Foundland to investigate the harbor
facilities along the coast for the
purpose of determining the best
base from which the planes could
put out overseas and harbors in
which landings could be made in the
event it became necessary for them
to descend during the voyage from
Rockaway to the fight base.
Lieut.. Commander j. l.. Kaufman
will command the Barney, which is
one OF the most modern destroyers,
and Commander p. N. L. Bellinger,
OF the transatlantic section OF the
Office of the direction OF naval avia-
ton, and Lieut.. E. F. Stone. Of the
coast guard. have been detailed to
make the investigation. Unless diff
culties with ice flores are encoun-
tered the Barney is expected to re-
turn to the United States within
about 10 days when the officers will
submit their report at Washington.
In disclosing that the planes
would leave the naval aviation sta
tion on Long Island, Mr.. Roosevelt
said it was regarded as preferable
TO fly the machines to the base to be
selected for the flight rather than to
transport them by ship. The air
craft will be refueled and given a
final tuning up before they actually
depart overseas.
Several machines are being pre-
pared for the flight and two or more
very probably will make the start
Three planes OF the n c type have
been completed and fourth is near
ing completion at the Curtiss plant
at Garden City. New York. Exten-
sive tests of the N C-1 have been
made and 81 passengers were car
Tied on one OF her flights.
Whether it will be possible for the
machines to carry sufficient fuel to
drive them across the ocean has not
been made known. They could re-
fuel at the Azores without difficulty
and some officers believe il would
be entirely possible under favorable
weather conditions for them to re-
plenish their gas supply in mid-At-
lantic from ship with which a
rendezvous could be arranged before
hand.
Detailed plans of the fight are
being carefully safeguarded and
there has been no intimation as to
whether the machines will keep to-
view Of the announcement that de-
stroyers Will be stationed along the
route to safeguard the crews in the
event of accidents, most officers be-
lieve, however. the flying craft will
follow one course.
The navy department has not en-
tered for the $4,000 prize offered by
the London Daily Mail to the first
aircraft that completes trans-At-
1antic Eight. At the department it
was said no inquiries had even been
made as to the conditions under
which the offer was made Several
British firms and one or two indi-
viduals are reported to have entered
for this prize. but the general belief
here is none OF these will be able TO
make the start in advance OF the
naval planes.