New-York tribune., 1919-05-19
Navy Confidence i'm
Safety of Flagship
Ebbs as PeriiOus
Gale Sweeps Sea
Lost 40 Hours
itlnout Trace
Huge Screen of War
ships Swings in
Half Circle TO Aid

LONDON, May 1S.-LIoyds reports
the steamship Iona with the crew of
the American seaplane NC-l aboard
arrived at Horta Sunday, and that the
NC-1 sank 12O miles off the Island of
Flores.
WASHINGTON, May 19.-Apprehen-
sion as to the safety of Commander
John II. Towers and his crew of four
men, who in the scaplane NC-3 have
been lost at sea for more than forty
hours, had begun tonight to dsplace
the feeling of confidence among naval
officials that the Transatlantic fliers
would be found by searching vessels.
No word had been received from the
NC-3 since 5:15 o'clock yesterday
morning, when Commander Towers re-
ported that mis- plane, the flagship of
the squadron, was off her course some
300 miles from the Island OF Fayal,
Azores. Dispatches from Rear Admiral
~. ,. Z.
at Ponta Delgada, Azores, tonight said
a gale was sweeping the seas north
west Of the Azores and that high waves
were running.
The navy, with its vast force of YES
sells, concentrated to aid in the trans
atlantic attempt, was bending all of its
energies to the finding of the lost
fliers.
Two battleships, the Florida and
Texas, and nearly a score of destroyers
were securing the sea over a wide area
all day to-day and tonight
Dangerous Gale Rises
The fog which, it is supposed, forced
the NC1 to the open sea when within
q few short miles of Corvo Headland.
the objective point of the aerial argo-
nauts, had been dissipated by strong
westerly winds this morning which in
creased to gale by 8 a. m. and
whipped up nasty, choppy sea, the
most dangerous condition possible for
a seaplane riding on the surface of the
ocean.
miral Jackson late tonight telling of
the damage to the NC-1 caused by the
heavy seas running at the time the
plane was found served to increase
the apprehension felt for the safety of
the crew of the NC-3 The lower
planes of the NC-1 were badly dam
aged, one pontoon was entirely carried
away, the right wing was badly broken,
the left wing ribs were damaged and
the elevators were smashed
Naval vessels standing by in an eff
fort to salvage the big boat reported
that the seas were running so high it
was impossible to save it at this time
1t was pointed out that only good for
tune could possibly save the NC-3
from even more serious damage, since
it is handicapped by the extra weight
of its crew
Rescue Work Difficult
Using Corvo Island as an operating
base, the screen of battleships and de-
stroyers were sweeping westward in
great semicircle in an effort to catch
sight of the NC3 or pick up radio dis
tress signals. The high winds and
heavy seas prevailing made the work
Of the rescue party most difficult
The main element of hope in the stua-
ton, IS viewed by naval officials to-
night, was the fact that the weather
forecasts predict diminishing winds
and abated seas late in the night and
Monday morning. 1t was thought that
If Commander Towers's frai craft
could ride out the gale successfully
until morning the pr reliability of rescue
would be greatly increased since
veritable swarm of destroyers and
other naval craft, gathered from wide
distances, were being concentrated
OYER the area to the northwest of the
Azores.
Each of the scaplanes carried suff-
cient focd and water for six ceys when
the squadron left Trepassey Bay.
The condition ir which the NC-1 was
found was described in the following
message to the Navy Department from
the cruiser Columba:
"NC-1 right wing badly broken, pom
toon carried away, elevators broken,
fabric left wing ribs badly damaged.
Condition of sea too rough to salvage
plane. Fairfax standing by awaiting
better conditions Crew Of NC-1 in
good shape, now on Columbia. NC4
in good condition and awaiting favor
able weather before proceeding to
Ponta Dclgada. Scouting lines scout
ing to westward for NC-3. Strong
Continued on nert pnQo