New-York tribune., 1919-04-14
Hawker and Raynham, at
st. Johns, and Wood, in
Ireland, All Are Waiting
for Favorable Weather
sopwith Plane Delayed
Hop Off, Scheduled Yes
terday, Was Postponed by
Winds and Binding Fog


verse weather conditions to- day forced
captain Harry G. Hawker and Com
mander Mackenzie Grieve, r. N, to
postpone for second time their trans
atlantic flight and brought nearer the
possipllty of race for the DAILY
Malls" $4,000 prize If Hawker's
Sopwith plane succeeds in startino
Monday, he will begin his flight about
the time aviator Woods is scheduled to
start from Limerick, Ireland. in an
effort to cross the ocean to the West.
1T was announced to-day That Captain
f. r Raynham, and his aid, plotting a
Martynside machine, will start from
here Tuesday.
Heavy winds from the south and ca ast
with dense fog, thick rain and general
murklness prevailed here to-day The
ground was soggy with water after an
all-night downpour and the drizzle
continued throughout the day.
Inc alrmcn and officials visited the
Tying field in the afternoon and ar
ranged for horses to move the machine
from the hanger to the ground outside.
but at 4 O'Clock, being then unable to
see the signal station on the Hill at
the entrance to the harbor, which thew
had planned to use as a guiding land =
mark on departure, they decided TO
postpone the attempt until tomorrow.
Rival Plane Inspected
During the afternoon the f1iers visited
the Martynsde airmen in their canvas
hangar at Quidividi, due northeast Of
st. Johns, and inspected the machine
there, returning tho call the Martynsidc
men made on them yesterday afternoon.
Inc parties compared the points Of re
semblance and difference in their re-
spectlve machines and exchanged views
as TO the efficiency Of various parts of
| their equipment
The Martyr side machine. which is
somewhat smaller than the Sopwith.
Is we'll on toward being completely
assembled. although it was landed
from the steamship only yesterday.
Indeed, ii would have been virtually
ready had not two cases of the shin
ment become separated from the others
and been packed with cargo for Hall
TAX on the steamship Sacnem and
found only after much confusion this
morning. The machine probably will
be ready Tomorrow morning and a
start across the ocean will be made
although 1t may be delayed a day or
two if Captain Hawker starts in the
meantime, so news of his experiences
may reach here before Raynham begins
his flight.
Death of Aviators Feared
Spectators believe that the chances
of the Martynsde men escaping death
are very slight, owing to the smallness
of their machine, the lack of boat
or other lifesaving apparatus and the
STRAIN on the occupants during their
long journey.
The Admiralty wireless station near
st. John to-day is arranging for closer
touch with shipping on the Atlantic so
wireless operators on all vessels
traversing tho steamship lane may be
on the alert for signals from one or
the other Of the aircraft, and be ready
to hurry to the assistance Of the oc
cupants if a demand be made for help.
In discussing the trip to-day Captain
Hawker made light of the supposed
dangers, insisting the undertaking had
no exceptional hazards, as many air
men have remained flying for as long
time as, If not longer, than will be
required to make his fight, and that
with machine which one knows one
IS as safe when flying over the sea as
when over the land, with the additional
advantage that if the plane falls on
the water the airman faces less risk of
bodily injury than when crashing upon
land. And the contingency of drown
ing, he suggested. is guarded against
by the boat and rubber clothing his
machine will carry.
Weather Chief Problem
Hawkcr considers the uncertainty q
to what the weather conditions in mid
ocean may be the only problem that
confronts him. He said he believed
conditions at height of 1000 feet
VIII not vary more over the Atlantic
than they do over land areas, and
ne is confident that if this estimate is
correct he can wing through to London
safely in twenty-four hours.
Commander Grieve, who nayipates
the craft, indorscs Hawkers views.
lie expects no difficulties in the
flight which would not be encountered
in similar land voyage except that,
with one engine, if mishap occurs
the chances Of escape are slim.
In discussing his chances of success
Captain Hawker emphasized the fact
that the difficulties in the way of a
successful flight arc much exaggerated.
and instanccd that no less than seven
or eight different projects for crossing
the Atlantic this year now arc matur,
ing. He takes pride in the fact that
all but one of these are being promoted
by citizcns of the british Empire and
considers British mastery in fyinr