Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-05-21
Hundred Miles Hour
Speed Maintained
Continued from Page One)

days ago that Lindbergh might have
to race for the honor OF being first to
land in France.
Lieutenant Commander Richard
Byrd George Neville and Bert Acosta,
of the Fokker America and Clarence
Chamberlin and Lloyd Bertaud, of the
Bellanca Columbia" all hung around
/ anXiously awaiting news Of their daring
comrade and expressing admiration for
his courage and hope that he would
succeed They announced they would
not attempt the Paris flight now until
Lindbergh had had opportunity to
prove his ability to land his Spirit of
st. Louis" on the LIE Bourget flying
field at Paris.
The first word of the young aviator
after he left the flying field was from
East Greenwich, r. l., where at 9:05
o'clock a plane believed to be his was
sighted from the ground. More
authoritative reports of his safety and
progress came at 9:40 o'clock from
Halifax, Mass, where two women saw
the plane flying low and were able to
read the identifying NX-211 on the
under side of the wings.
At 1925 p. m. Lindbergh was sighted
over Meteghan, Nova Scotia, showing
that he had spanned his first water
jump, distance of some 200 miles,
without nlishap. His passage across
Nova Scotia was noted at intervals by
persons on the ground. Springfield saw
him going over at los, Milford at l:50
and Mulgrave, On the strait of Canso,
at 3:05.
At this point with less than 100 miles
to go before taking the 200-mile water
jump to Newfoundland he seemed to
head for Sydney, although his course
so far had been laid toward Louisburg.
Great banks of fog were rolling in
from the Atlantic at Louisburg.
When Lindbergh suddenly decided to
hop off this morning the weather was
shown to be fairly good Oh the whole,
although low hanging mists were gen
eral and there were many local showers
along his course. The only really bad
spot was at Cape Race, N. F., where
there was a brisk wind and a dense
fog. This fog band was not believed
to be of great width, however, as a
steamer about 800 miles out reported
good weather.
On both sides of the Atlantic Lind
berghs daring was the talk Of the day.
From highest officials to humblest citi-
zens, the talk was of the Lucky Kid"
and the hope was general that his luck
would hold
One feature of the Lindbergh flight
which has caused much comment is
that he is flying blind" that is, he
can see out sideways but not straight
ahead. From the cramped quarters of
the little cockpit in which he is
wrapped around the control stick, Lind
bergh may look ahead only through a
periscope. But even that is not neces-
sary except when close to the ground
as the cockpit is fitted with inStru
mentS more accurate than any human
eye which show the pilot his direction,
speed, height, angle of climb or drop,
temperature, direction and speed of
wind, and the condition of his oil and
gaaoline tanks.
Just as he got into the air the cap
tain found q network of telephone
wires strung out in front Of him.
He barely cleared the wires, but
started down on the other side, and
again it seemed the flight was not to
be. However, he got the craft straight
ened out in the nick of time and
started away. Soon the plane was so
feet up, then 100, and finally 500 as
he disappeared. A fellow airman re-
ported later, flying 10 miles an hour.
The crowd, most of it patiently wait
ing in fog and rain the whole night
through, saw the flirting with fate with
mixed emotions. Many persons were
able to cheer, though Lindbergh could
not hear them A casual census re-
vealed as many men as women with
tears in their eyes,
The boy who says little and does
much, left with the cheering words OF
fellow fliers in his ears. Commander
Richard E. Byrd, who has sailed over
uncharted wastee, wanted to escort the
intrepid youth on his way with the
giant america" He, with Bert
Acosta and George Neville, circled over
the spirit of ST. Louis" as she was
being fueled, and dropped flowers in
her general direction. Later the Fokker
was brought to earth to get Lindberghs
schedule so the America" could follow
close behind.
Byrd warmly wished the voyager
we'll So did Acosta, and Neville. And
Clarence Chamberlin added his best
wishes with a wistful look in his eye.
for he, too, would like to challenge the
wide open spaces over the Atlantic.
Anthony H. G. Fokker, designer Of
the America" cried an enthusiastic
good luck and came back a second time
to add another
Lindbergh was in character to the
last. He did not have much to say.
"There's nothing left to say" he pro-
tested when newspaper men begged
him to say something about anything
One week ago the newspapers carried
comment on Lindbergh's departure
from San Diego ito enter the contest