The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-16
NONSTOP SEA
VOYAGE MADE
IN is HOURS
BY AIRPLANE
Alcock and Brown, Anglo
American Team, Receive
$4,000 London Mail Prize
for Air Cruise.
new RECORD IN AIR
tBy Associated Press)

ter nome or John AlcOck, pilot OF the
Vickers-Vimy biplane which on Sum
day morning completed its fight
across the Atlantic from New Found
land by landing at Clifden, Ireland,
was besieged by visitors yesterday,
the callers standing in line to shake
hands with Captain Alcock's mother.
She said, during the day:
Il had faith in my son. He told me
he would make the fight safely
Captain Sexton, chief of the United
States naval staff in London, com
menting on Captain Alcock's flight
today said:
TT was very fine performance.
The United States navy will be only
too pleased to extend congratula-
tions."
Land In Ireland
The trip from st. Johns. n. F., 1850
land miles or 1852 sea miles was made
In sixteen hours, twelve minutes, and
wins the Daily Mail $4,000 prize.
The landing was made at 8: 40
o'clock, British summer time (3:25 a.
m. Sunday, Chicago time). In taking
the ground the machine struck heavily
and the fuselage plowed into the sand.
Neither OF the occupants was injured.
Much OF the flight was made through
a fog, with an occasional drizZle. This
hampered the airmen considerably
during their journey.
Capt Alcock explained the silence
of his radio instrument during the trip
by saying that the wireless propeller
blew off soon after the airplane left
Newfoundland.
I'VE were much jammed by strong
-ieets~~ signals not intended for us,
he added.
49,. .ord was received here OF the
accident to the machine in landing ar
rangements were made for mechanics
to leave London Immediately to make
repairs.
Met BY AirpIane
When the Vickers-V -Vimy biplane was
rst sighted crossing the Irish coast,
says a dispatch to the Daily Mail from
t1lifden, Galway, an airplane few out
from the Cranmore airdrome to rem
der assistance This machine landed
near the Vimy, but unfortunately was
wrecked, owing to the softness of the
ground.
The Vickers-Vimy machine landed.
Lieut.. Arthur w. Brown, the navigator
said to Captain Alcock: What do yoll
think of that for fancy navigating"
and the pilot of the machine respond
ed VERY good" The two men who
had just completed an epoch making
voyage then shook hands.
When assistance reached the ma
chine the two aviators were helped to
the ground and it was found that Lieu
tenant Brown was slightly injured on
the nose and mouth, by the jolt given
the machine when it struck the
ground Both men were deaf and daz
ed and we're unable to walk steadily
for some minutes. They quickly re.
covered, however, and were escorted
to the wireless station in triumph, be
ing given the best hospitality avail
able. They distributed cigarettes as
souvenirs. and gave away the small
dog and cat which were mascots dur
ing the trip. The entire equipment
was rain-soaked by the downpour dur
ing the journey.
Trip Trying Ordeal
Describing the trip the aviators sai6
they had very trying ordeal, Captain
Alcock saying that the sun came out
only once when the biplane had at
tanned a height of 1900 feet. Only
three astronomical observations were
possible during the voyage. The alti
tude of the machine varied from $
few feet from the water up to 13.00(
feet and the fliers never sighted s
single ship.
Il did not know once during the
night whether l was upside down o.
not" said Capt. Alcock. "Once WI
ascended hurriedly when we saw th'
green Atlantic only thirty feet below
When the wireless propeller was car
ried away, it had carried away with i
one of the stay wires, but he did no
tell Captain Alcock until after the,
had landed at Clifden. When Alcocl
learned of the incident he said: g
would have turned back had known.
Weather conditions were very ba
during the trip and Lieutenant Brow
had to climb from his seat to clear tn
ice away from the petrol gauge.
Carries Mail Across.
After breakfast today, Lieutenan
Brown went to bed. while Captain A
cock inspected the machine The liel
tenant, however. was unable to sleeI
and soon got up By noon both wer
looking perfectly well and willingl
distributed autographs TO admirer
CAPTAIN Alcock wanted to fly to Ems
land in a borrowed plane. but his con
panion observed: Il have had enoug
flying for Bit
Captain Alcock exhibited bunch {
rain-soaked letters, which he had bee
asked to mail if the flight was SUI
cessful, saying: Il am the first tran
Atlantic postman."
The two aviators said they weI
only once in real danger, when the nj
chine went into flat spin. owing
the pilot being unable to tell how tn
machine was moving. LieutenaT
Brown, noticing that the compas
needle was swinging from side to sid
the first indication that somethln
= was wrong-manage to get Captai
Y Alcock to understand the difficult
The machine travelled at rate of IA
miles an hour at times and the pile
once found himself diving straigf