The sun., 1919-05-25
STORM STILL HOLDS
4 NC-4 AT AZORES
Rain and Rough Sea Make
Conditions Unfavorable
for Start To-day.
TRADE WINDS HAMPER
British Contenders Also Held
by Poor Weather Condi-
tions on Atlantic.


WAsHrNoroN, May Although no
iae word had been received from either
Lisbon or Ponta Delgada by the Navy
Department up to q late hour this after
noon. II was assumed that the unfavor-
able conditions and predictions cited in
Admiral Jackson's message this morning
still prevailed and It was not thought
likely that tho NC-4 would get away
from the Azores tomorrow on her last
500 mile jump. which may make her
the first airplane across the Atlantic.
In the meanwhile the Aroostook. the
mother ship which the fliers left at Ire
passey. Newfoundland. was reported as
arriving in Plymouth. England. 1t some
what chagrined the navy here that the
surface vessel should thus beat out her
nying charges. 1t was only possible
however, because Commander Read and
the NC-4 have now been held almost for
solid week waiting at the Azores, first
by minor mechanical troubles and later
oy an almost unexampled spell of stormy
weather for that part Of the sea at this
time OF year.
Admiral Jackson In his morning re-
port to the department told Of winds
varying between fifteen and thirty miles
an hour, overcast skies, showers and a
rough sea. Officers familiar with the
course pointed out that II traverses the
nrst OF the northeast trade winds and
that Commander Read is wise to wait
Tor everything possible in his favor be-
fore lacking across them. While they
are not usually Of great force or resu-
larity in this latitude they create a con-
factor N va nj a. 20,
must be reckoned with in all estimates
of conditions.
Inc 500 mile flight has been planned
Tor single day and as both the start
ing place from the narrow Ponta Del
sada roadstead. surrounded by its high
volcanic hills. and the landing place
In the deep valley of the River Tagus at
Lisbon present difficulty the need Of full
daylight for both the start and the stop
is recognized. Lisbon lies a dozen miles
up the Tagus estuary, and while the
river is broad-about as broad as tho
Hudson Opposite the Palisades, high hills
rise on either side OF 1t. The current
OF the river Is always very swift, rolling
the yellow stream along frequently at
five or six miles an hour.
Word has been received that the Por-
tuguese authorities have been most gen.
erous in complying with the requests
OF the American officers at the port and
that for several days the Portuguese feet
and merchant steamers which lie Off Lis
bon in the Tagus have been shifted to
moorings that will not interfere with a
clear landing place once the NC-4 is
reported winging up past picturesque old
Belem Castle.
Reports of bad weather over the north
ern stretches of the Atlantic, between
Newfoundland and Ireland, as well as
between the Azores and the Portuguese
coast were taken as an assurance that
the other British contenders for the
first across" honors are not being I'M
duly favored by the NC-4's spell of bad
weather luck.
The utmost confidence is expressed In
the judgment of Commander Read. It
was recalled that he took his full time
before leaving Chatham, Mass, where
he had been forced to put in by a
mechanical failure on the first leg Of
the trip. in order to secure certain
weather for the jumps to Halifax and
Newfoundland. despite the fact that his
brother fiiers, Towers and Belinger, were
apparently all ready to leave Trepassey
without him. When the weather was
right Read flew and succeeded not only
In catching his once more fortunate sis
ter ships, but in beating them to the
Azores.
The department therefore is confident
that Read will start soon enough, but
not so soon as to risk the success Of the
last jump with the last available entry
Of the United States Navy.