The Washington herald., 1922-04-02
New Adventures in Cloudland.

- lives and, we fear, will take still heavier
toll in the next few years. Yet never have there
been lacking of scientific learning and me-
chancal skill to the heroic chance of self-sac-
rifce for the progress of civilization in this line.
The day of fast aerial expresses which will
make London and Paris committing points for New
York, the day when Senators from Florida can
sleep in their bungalows every night and yet
miss a rolIcall in Washington, is still long
way of. Yet every few months show some prog
made in this direction.
Portuguese naval officers route from
Lisbon to Brazil, the longest fight yet attempted
adding another thrilling chapter the develop
ment of air travel. They are the latest recruits to
the respectable list of daring who have braved
the stormy cloudland the Atlantic.
Capt De Sacadura, commander of the aviators,
for some time has earned reputation as dare
devil among his associates in the Portuguese navy.
He is, besides, an accomplished astronomer.
To the fliers of the American navy belong the
honor of having made the first successful trans
oceanic flight in heavier-than-air machine Men
of the British air force made the second such voy-
age successfully.
On May g. 1919, the Navy y-Curtiss flying boats
I, and took off from Far Rockaway for Trepas-
sey, Newfoundland. The NC-I and g. commanded
by Comdr Towers and Lieut.. Comdr Benger,
reached Trepassey May TO- but the NC-4, under
Mass, by engine trouble and did not reach Tre-
passey until May IS. The total distance was 1000
nautical miles, the flying time OF the NC-4 being
fourteen hours and thirteen minutes.
The three NC boats left Trepassey on May I6
with Ponta Delgada, San Miguel Island the Azores,
1900 nautical niles away, their objective. They
entered dense fog and lost their bearings The
NC-I and NC-3 forced to the surface of the
and wrecked, their crews being saved
The NC-4 made Horta, Fayal Island, the
Azores in fifteen hours and eighteen minutes, TAX
ing off May to Ponta Degada, $50 nautical
miles further on on May 2o and reaching there in
hour and forty-four minutes.
The fight to Lisbon, 300 nautical miles, was
made May II in nine hours and forty-three min
utes, completing the first transocean flight. The
ship later continued Portsmouth, England, reach
ing there May 81, hying total OF 1896 nautical
miles, only few miles short of the distance at
tempted by the Portuguese.
While the Americans were flying toward Ire
passey, Harry Hawker and Mackenzie Creve in
British machine jumped off from Newfoundland for
Ireland, but fell into the sea 1000 miles off the
Irish coast, being picked up by the Norwegian
freighter Maud.
The first nonstop fight in heavier than air
machine was made by Sir John Alcock Q<led later
in fall in an exhibition fight in France) and Lieut..
Sir Arthur Whitten Browne, his navigator,
Engshman of American parentage. They took off
in Vickers-Vimy bplane from St. Johns N F., on
June Ia, and landed at Clifden, the Irish coast,
1000 nautical miles away, Sunday, June IS, hav-
ing been in the air sixteen hours and twelve min
utes.
Such is the progress that has been made since
the airplane America built at the order of Rod
man Wanamaker of New York and Philadelphia,
to undertake the transatlantic adventure. Lieut..
n De-. r.d t,a
ships construction and command her. The opening
of hostiltes in the great ended these prepara
tons The America a Curtiss flying boat,
gross load 5000 pounds, with two motors and
speed of sixty-fve miles hour. She had
cessful trial in July, 1914.