New Britain herald., 1928-02-06

but from an emergency tank along side which had been filled without their knowledge.
 The motion pictures showed hun dreds of miles of dreary wastes un- broken by land or water. the sur- face serrated with ridges 2,000 feet high and covered with snow.
 On returning to Kings Bay, Byrd. and Bennett were lifted out of their ship by their happy assistants and carried around in glee. Amundsen and Wellman, who were preparing to sail across the North Pole in the dirigible Norge" were present and greeted them warmly in spite of the fact that Byrd and Bennett had beaten them in the race to the point from which everything is south. Flight to France
 Byrd apologized for not being able to show the film of the flight to Ver- Sur Mer which was destroyed by water when the America" came down in the sea. He related story of disappointments which preceded the flight, principally the destruction of the first Fokker ship which was built for the journey. As a result Of it's loss while landing. after making factory test flight, Byrd was held up for two months. He spoke humorously of the many messages he and the rest of his crew received from all over the country, urging them to make start and question ing their courage.
 The flight across the Atlantic was accomplished at an average height of two miles in order that the ship might remain above the clouds and fog which enveloped the earth be- tween Newfoundland and Europe. Bennett informed Byrd soon after leaving Newfoundland that their gasoline was being consumed at the rate of 42 gallons an hour. rms was distressing news as Byrd real- ized that their fuel supply would be exhausted long before they reached the eastern rim of the Atlantic. But they kept the ship headed toward
 France and trusted to miracle to get them there. The miracle came in the form of information from Bennett that he had miscalculated the gasoline consumption and that their supply was sufficient for the voyage.
 After flying in total darkness for many hours, they learned their posi- ton from radiograms sent out by two ships far below them. By the time they reached the French coast night had fallen again. Their flrst
 glimpse of civilization was a light house on the French coast. They continued on their way and Byrd feels certain that they reached Le Bourget field. outside of Paris. al- thought they could not make out the land. His belief was substantiat-
 cd later by 3l persons who said that they had heard the hum Of hls motor.
 scared Natives Run Away
 Realizing that their gasoline sup n}y was seriously depleted, Byrd or dered the ship headed back toward the sea. When they sighted the lighthouse again, Byrd instructed the
 pilot to mako a landing. Flares were dropped overside and these, landing Tn the water. gave them faint idea of the spot ill which they were coming down. They struck
 ,,1J less stunned. Byrd found himself swimming around q short distance
 from the ship and immediately shouted to his companions. Even tually, they succeeded in inflatlng collapsibIe rubber boat which they
 had carried for emergencies and went ashore. But their troubles were by no means ended. French men whom they met mistook them for wraiths from the sea. Neville
 could speak French like a native but had become deaf from the noise Of the motors and as Byrd could not
 speak F'r. ach he could not under
 etand replies made to Noville's ques-
 ton. The lighthouse keeper and his 1 wifo were terror stricken at the visitors who had dropped from the sky and refused to come down from
 their lofty home. When the Ameri-
 cans had made the natives under stand that they actually had flown over from America. homes and hearts were opened 10 them and from that moment until they left