The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-19
AUSTRALIAN
AVIATOR Is
OFF IRELAND,
SAYS REPORT
Harry Hawker Said to be $50
Miles From Land m Daring
Flight from Newfoundland.
Started Sunday.
WAIT OFFICIAL WORD
tBy Associated Press,

(By Associated Press)
LONDON, May 19.-The manager Of
the Sopwith aeroplane company re-
ceived a report at o'clock this after
noon that Aviator Hawker was 15o
miles OF Ireland at p. m. today.
The air ministry announced shortly
after 5 o'clock that it had no conirma-
ton of the reports that Hawker was
OF Ireland at 4 o'clock this afternoon.
Naval and military lookouts on the
western coast of Ireland reported at
2 o'clock this afternoon that they had
seen no sign of Hawker. London enx-
iously awaited news of the aviator,
hut up to o'clock there was no OH
cial confirmation of the report that
he had been sighted on Ireland
FAVORABLE AIR CONDITIONS.
ST. JOHNS, N. F., May 19-In the
absence of any word from Harry q.
Hawker, and Commander Mackenzie
Crieve on their death defying fight to
reach the Irish coast, navigators and
aviators here early today sought the
weather reports received from vessels
in midocean to learn under what con-
ditions the daring Britishers are max
ing their nonstop dash in an attempt
to beat the Yankee air sailors. Every
indication pointed to favorable obser-
vation conditions with high visibility
from a clear sky and full moon only
four days old.
Atmospheric conditions improved
during the night, according to reports
received here. For the first two hun
dred miles, Quartering head winds pre-
vailed, but for the next thousand
miles beyond q light west wind OBJ
tanned. Except for report Of unim-
| portant low pressure over Ireland, an
messages received indicated generally
| improving weather conditions.
1t was calculated by nayigators here
/ that Hawkef and Crieve would meet
the about 4:25 o'clock this morning,
approximately 81 degrees west lonei-
tude. This was assuming that the
fiers would maintain q speed averas-
ing 100 miles an hour. Hawker ex-
pected to average log miles an hour.
The little Sopwith biplane carried suf-
| ficient fuel for a 22-hour fight under
ordinary conditions and enough for "a
hour il very favorable weather favored
! it.
FIIers Isolated.
| Hawker's machine carried a wire
| less transmitter capable Of a 250-mile
radius and 1t was estimated that this
distance was covered during the first
two hours. After that the fliers were
isolated, except that their calls might
be relayed by passing ships.
Captain NJ. H. Fem, of the Sopwith
company, builders of the biplane felt
no uneasiness early today when no
news was received from Hawker.
Captain Frederick P. Raynham,
whose attempt to join Hawker, In his
dash for nonstop honors and make a
race of it, met with accident inquired
several times during the night for
news Of his rival and expressed the
hope that Hawker and Crieye would
attain their objective.
The pilot of the Martinsyde machine
and his navigator, Captain c. W. 3.
Morgan, sustained painful injuries
when their plane was wrecked yester-
day In attempting to take the air IN
answer to Hawker's challenge to Join
in the flight. Captain Raynham was
able to drive his automobile away from
his hangar but Capt Morgan was
more seriously injured, his face bear
ing three deep cuts which required
several stitches to close.
More Flights Planned.
A successful fight by Hawker viii.
not mark the last Of the trans-Atlan-
tic attempts to be made from this
port. Vice Admiral Mark Kerr, be-
fore returning last night to Harbor
Glace where the giant Handley- Page
planes are being assembled, said that
his expedition would make the trip In
the interests of science IL denied the
chance to be the first
Captain A. A. Alcott, who with Lieut..
A. w. Brown, compose the Anglo
American team, is due to arrive here
during the day with a Vimy bomber
Captain Alcott is reported to have
said that he would fly to New York
or some other American seaboard city
if HaWker succeeded in his flight
Lieut.. Browns home is In New York
but he Joined the British army during
the war and for the time being is a
Britisher. He has announced his in
tention OF applying for papers rein
stating him to American citizenship
| A Slit