New-York tribune., 1919-05-15
Belated Plane Hopes
to Reach Trepas-
sey in Time TO Join
in 'Jump't to Azores
NC-4 Makes 90
Miles an Hour
Weather Conditions
Reported Good all
Along the Ro.ste

WASHINGTON, May 14.-The
American naval seaplanes NC-l and
NC3 probably will be in. fight be-
tore sundown tomorrow in the first
attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean
through the air. Official reports to
the Navy Department late to-day
from Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland,
the starting point of the proposed
flight, intimated that the "hop-off"
would be made within twenty-four
hours, as favorable weather along
the route to the Azores was indi-
Gated.
The navy dirigible C-5 also may
attempt the long 'cross-ocean trip
either tomorrow or next day. Rising
from Montauk Point, Long Island
early to-day, the big airship passed
Halifax before sunset, and Liscomb,
n. S., eighty-fve miles fdrther on,
at 7:40 p. m. She is expected to
reach ST. Johns, n. f., before day
light tomorrow, making a nonstop
flight of 900 miles. A decision as to
a transatlantic attempt by the C-5
will be made Immediately en- receipt
of her commanders report Of his
arrival
NC-4 Picks Up Time
The third seaplane of the trans
atlantic division, the NC-4, held up
by engine trouble on the first leg
of the journey, made up much of
her lost distance to-day and was
moored tonight beside the mine
layer Baltimore at Halifax await
ing daylight to proceed to Trepas-
sey Bay. The boat travelled from
Chatham. Light, Mass, to Halifax
to-day, nearly $50 miles, in less
than four hours. Urged by fa-
vorable ffteen-mile wind she at
tanned a speed of ninety-nine land
miles an hour.
The decision of Lieutenant Com
mander Read of the NC-4 to pass
the night at Halifax was taken to
mean that he had encountered fur
ther trouble to delay him. He had
expected to proceed to Trepassey
Bay after a stop of few minutes.
In that case the transatlantic at
tempt might have started this after
noon.
The Navy Department was keyed
to high pitch to-day as the NC-4 and
the C-5 were hurrying nortnward
on a favorable wind Until a late
hour it was not certain that the
NC-1 and NC-3 would not also take
wing during the day, starting the
transatlantic dash. 1t was obvious
that the hour Of the start, in any
case, was close at hand.
Forecast System Perfect
Again to-day the farreaching sys-
TEN set up by the department and
! the Weather Bureau to obtain ade-
quate weather data for the experts
at Trepassey Bay worked with clock
like precision. At regular intervals
the streams of reports from more
than score of destroyers along the
route, from half a dozen battleships
posted far to the north or south Of
the route to the Azores, from all
European points covered by the
British weather system, and from
the American Weather Bureau
poured into the station ship at
Trepassey to be charted and used in
making predictions.
Officers believe the most colnpre-
hensive weather forecasting ever
done has been accomplished as an
aid to the attempt to CROSS the At
lantic by the air.
Late Forecast Less Hopeful
Late tonight the weather predic-
tions for the next twenty-four hours
over the proposed route from Ire
passey Bay to the Azores, as report
ed to the Navy Department, were
. "less encouraging. This was not in
terpreted by officers, however, as ne
cessitating decision by Commander