The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-12-18
u. S. FLYERS TO
CIRCLE World
Trip Will Show Ease of COmmu-
nicati0n Between the
Continents.

Washington. = Secretary of War
Weeks has formally approved the
project for a flight of four or five
army airplanes around the world next
spring and summer.
This flight, the most ambitious I'M
dertaking of the army air Service, is
intended to demonstrate the feasibil-
ity with which aerial communication
may be established between the vari-
Gus continents and to obtain data
concerning the operation of present
type airplanes under varying climatic
| conditions.
AS now planned, the personnel for
the flight will consist of four commits
stoned officers and four enlisted men,
well qualified for a long and arduous
| flight The selection of personnel is
now under consideration by Maj. Gen.
Mason NJ. Patrick, chief of the air
service, and his associates.
Await Foreign Approval.
Until authority has been received
from all foreign governments whose
territory will be visited the exact
route of the flight will not be deter
mined The route tentatively mapped
out follows:
Leave Washington about the mid
die Of March and proceed to Seattle
Depart from Seattle about April l. fly
Ing northward along the coast of Can
ada and southern Alaska.
They will fly across the Aleutian
Islands, down through the possessions
os Japan along the shores of China,
French Indo-China, Siam and Burma,
across india, up the Persian gulf,
across Turkey and Europe to England,
1hoace north through the Farce islands
to Iceland, thence to Greenland and
southwark along the eastern shore of
tne continent to Cape Farewell, Green
END, from which point a direct flight
viii be made to Hamilton Inlet on the
Lahorador coast, thence southwark
along the Canadian shore and up the
St Lawrence river to Quebec and
Montreal, from which point tie flight |
Will proceed to Washington, thus COM
n!eting the circumference Of the globe |
VII the air.
This itinerary has been worked out !
in the expectation that it |
Will enable the flyers to dodge the |
rainy seasons in the United States |
and India and insure flight over Ice
land and Greenland during August
and September.
Pilots viii Study Routes.
Existing aiway facilities will be |
followed in the United States, south
arn Japan and between India and
london. The intervening sections OF
he long route will be given further
study by experienced pilots, who will
proceed over the route prior to the
arrival Of the flight.
A path-finding expedition of two Of
icers has been in the field for some
ime. Lieut.. Clarence e. Crumrne is
low in Greenland, investigating facil-
Ties for aviation there. Lieut.. Cliff
ord c. Mutt, now in the Philippines,
gill visit Japan to make preliminary
rrangenl ents as soon as the wishes
f the Tokyo government have been
lade known to the State department.
Meanwhile, a detailed study of the
QUITE Is being made in the Office of
General Patrick, the United States
cast guard is obtaining data on IA
ilities between Seattle and Attu Is
md in the Aleutian group, which is
ne point OF departure of the flight
ON United States territory.
Special attention is being given to
Gather conditions along the proposed
)ute, with a view to making avail
BILE every possible facility to the
rny flyers.
The planes chosen for the flight are
ouglas worId-cruisers, designed and
tilt by the Douglas Airplane com
any, Santa Monica, Cal. They will
> powered with Liberty motors. AT
eattle the planes will be equipped
it'll pontoons for water landings.
resent plans contemplate removing
e pontoons at Tokyo and using land
e gear from that point on.
cL,,tI~ Doer;LIy Indian Link