The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-27
GIVE DETAILS or TRIP
AND ITS DIFFICULTIES

LONDON May 27-The correspond
ent of the Daily Mail, who Is travelling
with Harry G., Hawker and Lieutenant
Commander Mackenzie Grieve on their
way to this city sends from Inverness,
Scotland, a detailed account OF the dif-
ficultlcs encountered by the two airmen
during their unsuccessful attempt TO
fly across the Atlantic.
During, the first four hours Of the
voyage the air was freezing cold, but
the airmen were quite comfortable.
Hawker, however, was unable to steer
a good course because of the clouds.
being at times forced to so around
when about 500 miles out to sea the
weather continued very bad and clouds
rose to great heights. Several times
Hawker tried to clear them, but lost
height at every attempt and each time
the machine started climbing the wa
ter In the radiator boiled furiously
which involved waste. At last how
ever the airplane reached a height OF
1900 feet and II was decided to stay
at that level for the rest Of the trip
I'VE had not AZ yet doubted being
said, In describing his experience. 1--WE
were at that time above most of the
clouds, The moon had risen and we
were keeping good course, although
we had to go littlo slower and@close
the throttle to keep the water from
heating up,
I'VE continued at this height until
we had been In the air for 12A hours.
Then came heavy clouds again. They
were, very high, reaching a level OF
$4,000 feet and being very black. Il
was almost impossible to steer through
| them, and each time / tried to climb
| the water boiled badly"
Hawker then described his efforts to
| find the cause OF the trouble with the
water cooling System and said he com
n nj haH tnt
water filter between the radiator and
the pumps and the only thing to do was
70 stop the motor and put the nose OF
the machine down steeply. with the
hope that this might clear away the
refuse, in the filter. This was suc-
cessful.~
About an hour later, however, the
filter again gave trouble and Il was
decided to fly toward the trans Atlantic
steamer route. After more than two
hours OF flying, q steamer was sighted
which proved to be the Mary. HawSer
dropped signal lights which were an.
swered by the steamer,
Tho aviators descended about two
miles ahead of tho steamer Tho sea
was very rough and the Danish crew.
at great risk to themselves, finally
rescued the ayiators after 30 minutes.
They were picked up Mt $3.50 a-nis
Greenwich time, Monday. May 10.
Describing his reception on the Mary,
Iiawker said that Capt, Duhn said to
him:
uonA another Sta,,, hour and you would have
Hawker said the captain thought the
aviators were Americans. The rescued
men were struck with the casual man
ner In which the captain took the whole
business, as II 1t were an everyday af-
fair to take airnen out OF the Atlantic.
The aviators asked tho captain his
bearings and what likelihood there was
Of meeting a ship and getting into the
main route OF steamers. AT that time
the captain thought there was very
good chance of sighting q ship with
wireless at any moment.
Monday night the storm got worse
and the Mary had to heave to, making
about one knot an hour in a northerly
direction. This took the steamer off
the shipping route and lessened the
chance Of meeting another ship Hawker
said he and Grieve slept or tried to
sleep most of the time. They drank tea
and read the captains English books.
They saw the lighthouse at st. Kilda,
but were unable to communicate with
land until the ship reached the Butt
| of Lewis