Arizona republican., 1919-05-19

ST. JOHNS, May 1S-Harry c. Hawker, Australian aviator. and his navigator. Commander Mackenzie Grieve, tonight are winging their way across the Atlantic on the most peril ous airplane flight in history, i'll an eleventh hour effort toSwrest from American navy pilots the honor of be- ing the first to complete a trans s-oce- anic flight. The Australian late today decided not to delay longer and start ed for the Irish coast despite weather conditions. characterized as mot ia vorable but possible"
 When Hawker's Sopwith plane dis appeared from view it left behind the shattered hopes of his English rival, Frederick P Raynham, who in at tempting to follow the Australian with his Martinsyde plane. broke rear axle. Raynham and his navigator, Charles W. F. Morgan. were not injured, but the plane was wrecked.
 Both Hawker and Raynham have been here for weeks awaiting favorable weather to start their flight for the s50,000 London Daily Mail prize, but day after day the start was postponed because of unfavorable conditions on tAlt <AllcihAiN. IO0eNs CAs NAti the news that the NC-4, the American navy seaplane, had reached the Azores on the first leg of it's trans Atlantic attempt, Hawker decided to wait nc longer and quietly slipped away.
 Leaves In Hurry
 The hundreds of persons lining the shore, thought he was merely making test flight, but suddenly he was ob- served to drop his landing gear, thus Tightening the load and only then were the spectators and Raynham aware that Hawker had decided to start his perilous flight.
 i Hawker and Grieve took the air al :55 p. m. today. Greenwich time, 0:55 1 D. m. New York time( and expect tC ] reach the Irish coast in 20 hours, unless some accident forces them 10 plunge ! into the sea.
 When the Sopwith biplane passet from view beyond the hills to tf' northeast, headed for the open sea 1 Raynham was tuning up the engine O | his machine. Raynham and his navi | gator, Charles W. F. Morgan, instantly determined to follow him, for all thei preparations had been made weeks ago
 As the Martinsyde "taxied" along tn, uneven surface of the runway, prepa ratory to the take-off, a rear axl i broke under it's heavy load and tn machine ploughed into the ground Pilot and navigator were jammed il the wreckage but apparently neithe was seriously hurt.
 The twenty hour journey planned b i Hawker would land him on the Iris coast at about 1:55 D. m. Greenwic time tomorrow (9:55 a. m. New Tor time). He is flying straight for Ire land, winging his way regardless c shipping lanes.
 Hawller got away in lurching 300 yard run, pumping hazardously ove the uneven field. The little plan careened and rocked recklessly until
 hummock lifted it and it's wings .'too the air" for low, swinging star Hawker was at the control.
 Disappears in Minutes
 Flying straight the little plane fade
 rapidly from view. In six minutes,
 was out of sight beyond the hills. Hawker and his navigator gravel
 considered the hazards of the atteml
 and decided to stake everything on 8
 effort to "beat the Americans ' Overnight reports to the meteorols gical station here showed increase l, atmospheric pressures, smoother sea I and fair barometer conditions. A , though winds and pressure were n all they hoped for. Hawker and Gie' } decided to start.
 It was 5 o'clock in the afternoo a Greenwich time, when Hawker order : his Sopwith plane out or its hangar i a ground and wind test. He tried O the Sopwith for a minute or tWe al
 called conditions for start go
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