The L'Anse sentinel., 1924-02-29
England, France and Portu.
gal Prepare for Round
the-Worid Flight.

Washington, ID. C.-Holding prac-
tically all the airplane records that
are worth while, including those for
speed, altitude, endurance and dis
tance, the United States will now un-
dertake TO be the first TO circumnavi-
gate the globe by air. England tried
last summer, but failed. the attempt
ending disastrously before the grand
circuit was half completed. But Eng
land is planning to try again, and
France and Portugal are also prepar-
ing to make the attempt during the
coming summer.
Accordingly the plans of the army
air service are now going forward in
order that an early start may be made,
possibly in March and not later than
May l, In order that the country that
is the home Of TIE heavier-than-aii
craft may be first 10 accomplish the
epochal feat.
Not only must an early start be
made, but the most careful and most
elaborate preparations must be made
to guard against every possible con-
tingency that might defeat the under
taking. The route must be mapped
out with eXactness. supply depots es-
tablished and stocked with every pos
sible necessity, landing places selected
and marked, and a thorsand and one
details looked after, any one Of which
might seem inconsequentlal In advance
hrtf t1nfn tn ha n 0
upon which success or failure hinges.
q Have No Thought of Failure.
fThe men who are courageous enough
atbl willing to risk their lives in the
efort TO, achieve this further dlstinc-
ttSn for their country will be backed
no in every way, and II failure should
result 1t will be due to causes unfore-
seen and that could not have been
guarded against.
AS matter Of fact, the men who
are laying the plans and making the
advance arrangements have no thought
OF failure and say that the nonstop
transcontinental flight was in many re-
spects a more difficult feat. Secretary
of War Weeks was convinced that
there Is an excellent chance of sue
cess and approved the project early
last month.
Equipment to Be Used.
-Four big air-cruisers, American-de-
signed and American-built, and equip
ped with Liberty engines. will be used
In the undertaking. The start will be
made from Washingt' and the finish.
II the flight Is successful. will be at
: the national capital.
The tentative route that has been
mapped out contemplates flying from
Washington to Seattle. thence north.
ward along the coast Of Canada and
southern Alaska; across the Aleutian
Islands, down through ;he possessions
Of Japan to Nagasaki: along the shore
OF China, French IndoChlna. Siam ant
Burma; across India; up the Persian
gulf; across Turkey and Europe e
England; thence north through the
Farce islands TO Iceland; thence 4
Greenland and southward along tn,
eastern shore Of the continent to Cap,
Farewell, Greenland, from whence
ulrect HlRnt VIII De maze 10 hamlltOf
inlet on the coast OF Labrador; theme
southward along the Canadian coas
and inland to Montreal. and theme
south 10 Washington.
A. Proposed itinerary.
1t ir planned to time .he flight so a
to avoid the rainy seasons In tn
United States and India. and to pas
over the Iceland and Greenland SEE
tions during the months Of August an
September.
The proposed itinerary has bee
divided into six divisions, as follows
First, beginning at Washington. ID. q
and ending Mt Attn island In the Ale,
tians; second. ending at Nagasak
Japan; third, ending At Calcutta. b