The Monroe journal., 1919-05-20
THREE GIANT sEAPLANES
TOOK FLIGHT FRIDAY

Started From Trespassey BAY, New
Foundland. i'm the Early Morning
and Entered Upon a Carefully
Chartered Course Patrolled by Res
cue and Repair Ships.
Three giant seaplanes of the Amer
ican navy-the NC3, and NCl. rose
late Friday from the waters of Tres
passey Bay and headed for the Azores
TO make by air in the twentieth CEN
tury journey as dangerous as that
Columbus made by waters 427 years
ago.
Commanded by Commander John
ii. Towers. Lieutenant Commander A.
c. Read. and Lieutenant Commander
Il. y. Bellinger. the planes left their
moorings at the head of Trespassey
harbor and TAXED" towards the mar
rows Then. rushing into a westerly
wind, they took the air.
As they passed from view. the ma
tives of New Foundland who lined
the shores of the landlocked bay view
ed withYankee sailors stationed there
in sending away rousing cheer the
American aviators starting on their
epochal voyage.
When the giant American hydro
planes sped away into the east. over
Grand Banks and the broad Atlantic,
they entered upon course not only
carefully chartered, but patrolled by
rescue and repair ships all the way
to the Portuguese coast.
Looking upon the cruise not as a
sporting venture, nor as an attempt
merely 10 win for the United States
the honor of the first Atlantic
air flight, but as an undertaking for
the Advancement of science and sea-
manship, the American navy placed
its own vast resources at the disposal
of the aviators, and enlisted those of
other government departments in an
effort to assure the safety of the crew
and TO reduce TO a minimum the ele-
ment of chance in the project.
\ fl0tilla of destroyers, reinforced
by battleships whose more powerful
wireless equipments were intended to
pick messages from the flyers in case
the radio sets of the smaller vessels
failed to function. formed chain of
communication across the Atlantic
while the planes were proceeding to
their base there. The fleet will remain
on station until the birdmen have
passed the destroyers so close toge-
ther that an hours steaming would
bring one of them to the alighting
place of any of the aircraft forced to
descend. Mother ships. tenders and
other naval units at intervals along
the course. have mechanics. tools, ex-
ira parts and gasoline aboard, ready
TO give aid which would make possi-
bic resumption of its journey by a
plane put out of commission by slight
defects.
The patrol fleet, in wireless contact
throughout its length and in touch
with the United States weather bu-
reau. as well as ships of various ma
tionalties cruising the Middle Allan
tic, will keep the aviators posted on
weather conditions in the areas they
are approaching. also cooperating
with the navigators aboard the planes
in directing the flight
Give us no luck. good or bad, and
the lrans-ocear voyage should be
made without trouble" said Com
mander John H. Towers. chief of the
expedition. commenting before the
hop off" on the completeness of the
navy's nrenaro tiops "Wp ara mt nm.
dertaking the impossible, we are bank.
ing Oh chance. We are attempting a
flight wholly within the mechan'
! possibilities of the NC planes. hopine
20 demonstrate without reckless risk
of life or valuable property that an all
cruise to Europe is a practical propo-
sition."