The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1919-06-04
NOTED FLYERS
TO BE HONORED
Read, Towers And Bellinger
To Receive Medals From =
Congress.

Washington, May 29.-Promotion
andd medals of honor for the COM
manders of the three American sea-
planes which attempted the transat-
lantic flight were proposed to-day in
Congress.
Great as the exploit of Lieutenant
Commander Read is in crossing the
ocean in three fights, the navy con-
templates further ventures even more
ambitious, including a direct nonstop
flight across the Atlantic. The fight,
| 1t is minated, while not coming at
once, will be one of the many exper-
iments in naval aviation which will
be made by the Navy Department.
Secretary Daniels said to-day that
, the principal problem presented by
the nonstop cross Atlantic fight was
not the reliability of the motors, but
the carrying of sufficient fuel for them
to make the long journey. The sea-
planes carry much more weight in the
hull which supports them on the sur
face than do land machines, and there
tore cannot carry as much gasoline
in proportion to their size and power.
The experts of the navy, hawever, are
now busily engaged in working out
a solution of this problem.
1t is known that while much small
er, the land machines of British trans
atlantic aspirants are capable of
carrying sufficient fuel for direct
flight from Newfoundland to the
British Isles, while the heavy Ameri-
can seaplanes, with their four 325
pound engines, could not carry e.
nough gasoline to make the hop"
After her arrival at Plymouth the
NC-4 will probably be taken apart
and brought by boat back to this
country She will be assembled a
gain here and will be used for ex-
perimental purposes connected with
the development of still larger planes
There is considerable delay in CON-
munication between Washington and
Lisbon. Consequently the navy Of
hcials did not know to-day the reason
for the postponement of the flight of
Commander Read FROM Lisbon to
Plymouth today. The plane and its
crew are known to be in perfect COM,
dition, so that two guesses made by
officials here to explain the postpone
ment are bad weather and the desire
of Commander Read to land in Eng
land on Memorial Day.
A resolution rendering the thanks
of Congress for the commanders and
crews of the NC seaplanes which
were engaged in the transatlantic
flight was introduced in the House to-
day by Representative Hicks IN. W
chairman of the Sub committee on
Naval Aviation.
Mr.. Hicks also introduced bill
authorizing the President to appoint
Commander Read that
Commander Towers as commanders
in the permanent establishment Of
the navy, and Lieutenant-C Commanders
Patrick L. Bellinger as Lieutenantt
Commander The men now hold
temporary rank.
The resolution introduced by Mr..
Hicks follows:
Resolved, That whereas due to the
skill of American engineers the gem
ius of American mechanics and the
bravery of American officers COM
munication between the New World
and the Old has been established by
the navigation of the air in the flight
of a navy seaplane between New
Foundland and Portugal; and where
as this signal achievement the first
in history-has brought fame to the
country, prestige to the service and
honor of those associated in the dar-
ing enterprise, the thanks of Congress
be and the same hereby are extended
to Lieutenant Commander Albert c.
Read, u. S. NJ, and Lieutenant Elmer
F. Stone, c. G.
"And that as further appreciation
the President is hereby authorized to
present in the name of Congress a
medal of honor to Albert C. Read,
u. S. NJ. John H. Towers, u. S.
N. and Patrick L. Bellinger, u. S. NJ"