The sun., 1919-05-21
Read Continues Trip, Gets
to Ponta Delgada, $50
Miles Nearer Europe.
MAY PICK UP TOWERS
Seaplane of Squadron Chief
Is Found Unfit for Last
Leg of Journey.
NAVAL HEADS ELATED
Achievement Called as Great
as the Voyage of Columbus;
Sorrow Over Rivals Fate.

WASHINGTON, May 20.-Two of the
three naval seaplanes which set out
on the first transatlantic flight were
brought down to the ocean and totally
wrecked in fog and succeeding ter
rife storm that not all the elaborate
meteorological preparations Of the
navy could foretell.
But the third, the NC-4 which
weathered the fog and gale in the
AR. Is carrying on alone. To-day
she few from Horta, island of Fayal.
to Pcnta Delgada, on San Miguel, $50
miles away, at the rate of ninety nine
land miles an hour. Tomorrow,
weather permitting. she will take of
on the final cross-ocean flight to
Lisbon, 800 miles away.
The arrival Of the NC-4 at NeU-
foundland will mean the successful
completion by the United States of
the flight from continent to continent.
an achievement which has occupied
the interest of the world since man
first learned to fly. The original plan
OF Commander Towers was to COM
plete the aerial cruise of the Nc
planes at Plymouth, England, IT'S
miles from Lisbon, and it is probable
that the NC-4 will follow out the
schedule to the end alone.
The derelict NC-1, the veteran of
the fleet, which Lieutenant Com
mander Bellinger and her crew of five
, were compelled to abandon on Sat
urday-fiye hours on the water had
smashed her wings and opened the
seams In her hull-to-day sank to the
bottom of the ocean she had failed
to cross, while the destroyer Fairfax ,
stood by helpless to save her.
The NC-3, flagship of the NC dlvi-
sion, In almost rs bad shape, leak.
ing, shattered and weather worn.
bore Commander John II. Towers and
his four companions into the harbor
OF Ponta Delgada yesterday, raising
high hopes for time that two Ameri-
can seaplanes might finish the long
( journey. But Il careful examination
of her lower wings, wrecked by the
ieaping waves, her hull gaping after
more than two days constant pound
ing by the seas, her TAIL with its
control surfaces mutilated by wind
and weather, made it plain that the
NC-3 had flown her last mile in the
transatlantic flight.
READS Plane in Fine shane
High hopes are pinned by navy men
here on the NC-4, which showed her
fine condition IN the remarkable speed
at which she winged across the gap
TO Ponta Delgada, where Lieutenant
Commander Read met his chief, Com
mander Towers, for the first time
since they clasped hands at Trepassey
Bay, 1850 miles away. and wished
each other luck.
The NC-4 took the air at Horta at
40 p. NJ. Greenwich time Is 40
A. NJ, Washington time), and an hour
and forty-four minutes later, aided BY
favorable winds, her four engines
brought her to the breakwater Mt
Ponta Delgada. Commander Towers.
refreshed by long sleep after nearly
three days in air and water. awaited
her skilful skipper, Lieutenant Com.
mander Read, on the supply ship Mel
Vile.
1t Is probable-altaoughn no advices
from the Azores have been received
touching upon the point-that Com
mander Towers will fly with Comman
der Read in the front cockpit of the
surviving seaplane when she rises
from the water on the dash to Lis
bon tomorrow morning. Commander
Towers, II is pointed out here. IS IN
the status of duly authorized COM
mander OF a division of seagoing
ships. lie Is under orders to proceed
across the Atlantic, and the fact that
his flagship is disabled does not mean
that he himself must remain behind.
Technically 1t Is his duty to take COM
mand OF the NC-4, since she Is the
only remaining ship under his com
mand. Friends OF Commander Towers
feel sure that after the bad luck ex-
perienced-for there was no other
cause Of the elimination of the Other
seaplnnes but that--re will be treblr
determined to bring one ship Mt least
overseas.
Commander Read had his share of