Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-26

London, May 26.-There was a
merry party in the home of Harry
G. Hawker near Surbiton last night,
many callers. including Thomas o.
M. Sopwith,. head of the Sopwith
Aviation Company, builders of the
machine in which Hawker attempt
ed to cross the Atlantic, going to
the house to congratulate Mrs. Haw-
ker. Many airmen were among
those who called.
Mrs. Hawker never lost confidence
that her husband would be rescued.
Even on Saturday evening she was
still hopeful, declared that Sunday
was her lucky day and said:
"Good News Tomorrow
1--WE shall have good news to-
morrow"
To-day her home was inundated
with kilograms of congratulation
and the telephone in the gaily be-
tagged dwelling was constantly
ringing.
In message expressing his own
and the queens sympathy and con-
dolence King George on Saturday
expressed his fear that Hawker had
lost his life. He added: II feel
that the nation has lost one of it's
most able and daring pilots and that
he sacrificed his life for the fame
and honor of British flying"
An official statement confirming
news dispatches of the rescue of
Hawker and Lieutenant Commander
Mackenzie Grieve was issued last
night. 1t follows:
Both in Good Health
Harry G.. Hawker and Lieutenant
Commander Grieve were rescued in
latitude so degrees and 20 minutes
north and longitude 20 degrees 80
minutes west. They alighted close
to a steamer owing to defect in
the water circulation of their mo-
tor. Both men are in perfect
health. The airplane was not
saved"
Hawker and Grieve were in the
water for an hour and half before
being taken aboard the steamer
Mary Lacking a wireless outfit, the
captain of the steamer was obliged
to withhold the good tidings of the
rescue until he was opposite Butt of
Lewis. where the information was
signalled by means of flags.
Engine Went Bad
Some LOO miles out from New
foundland and S0@s from the Irish
coast, on Monday, May 19, the avia-
tors, making the best of an engine
which was falling to function prop
erly, were forced to alight on the
water. The little Danish steamer
Mary. bound from New Orleans and
Norfolk for Aarhuus, Denmark,
picked the wayfarers up and con-
tinued on her northward voyage
Word was flashed to the British
admiralty, which sent out destroyers
to overtake the Danish vessel and
obtain absolute confirmation. This
was done. and one of the destroyers
took the airman off, and later trans
ferred them to the flagship Revenge.
From this safe haven Hawker sent
a message that his machine had
stopped owing to the blocking of the
water circulation system.
When the airplane sped away from
her starting point, Pilot Hawker let
loose his wheels and under-g gearing,
thereby Tightening the weight of the
machine by considerable amount. but
making possible landing on the sell
of Ireland a more hazardous venture.
This, however, probably proved of
much advantage when it became nec-
essary to alight on the surface of the
water The airplane remained af1oat
without difficulty during the hour
and a half it took the Danish steam
er to come up and effect a rescue.
Owing to the difficulties of COM
munication some time must pass be-
fore the full details of one of the
most remarkable voyages ever un-
dertaken are known.
The one person in England who
had always held hope was Mrs. Haw-
ker. She always maintained that
Providence would protect her man.
and though she received condolences
from all classes of people, including
the King, she said yesterday that she
had never ceased to believe that some
time and In some way her husband
would come back