New Britain herald., 1928-05-16

- wv
Cowes, Isle Of Wight. May 1c. (R
Betty Carstairs, Ensland's best
known "tomboy." who il half Amer
lean, is supervising here the last
touches on her new 7s-foot motor
boat. in which she hopes soon to
cross the Atlantic ocean in about
50 hours
The boat is almost finished, and
as soon as 1t slips off the ways at
the Saunders Works Miss Carstairs
will pilot it on a trial trip to point
on the west coast OF ireland, yet to
be selected.
There she will await good wealth
er to start speeding to New York
at the rate OF about 60 miles an
hour. This speed will be maintained
as long a. possible.
Greatest secrecy is being observ-
ed as to the date Of her departure.
which will not previously be an
nounced. She expects to start some
time in June and not later than
early in July.
Her craft is fitted with a Napier
Lion aeroengine. similar to those
used by Captain Malcolm Campbell
when he broke the worlds auto
speed record at Daytona Beach,
Florida. and by the British sea-
plane which captured the Schneider
Cup at Venice. 1t has IL cylinders
81 {A L. ~ 81
an arrow. They are capable OF de-
veloping s75 horsepower. The en-
CINE weighs $50 pounds. Its COM
preston ratio Is ten to one, and
experts say it is one of the most
highly developed petrol engines In
existence.
Although Miss Carstairs plans to
pilot the craft herself all the way
across the western ocean. she will
carry two or three mechanics with
her.
The boat is designed to carry four
persona 1t has a special WIRE
sewn hull which makes 1t strong
enough to Withstand the shocks 1t
will receive In 4 choppy sea and yet
not be unduly heavy. Every avail
able inch of space will be loaded
with petrol.
So assured Ia she OF success in
her spectacular venture that she
has ordered Smother mo torboat Of
similar build sent to Detroit, where
she will try to crown her motor
boating career in August on Lake
! Michigan by winning back the Brit
ish International trophy which the
United States has held since the
world war. The present motor boa
world speed record. held in the
United states. is $3.50 miles per
hour.
Miss Carstairs. a step daughter OF
DR.. Serge Noronoff. noted Austria n
regeneration expert. inherited a
large sum OF money from her grand :
father, one Of the founders Of the
Standard Oil company.
| Few women can claim to he 40
versatile. She maintains a studio
in Chelsea She is an ADEPT ANA :
teur musician and dancer, plays
tennis, rides horses and motorcy-
cles. md is = noted practical joker.
She is a clever hostess whose in
vitations are eagerly sought by the
bright young people OF Mayfair.
Her great interest Is motorboat
racing and heretofore her most not
able successes have been with her
"Newg." with which she won the
Kings Cup two years ago and in
which she was second in last years
Duke Of York's trophy race. Her
15-ton cutter Sonia" has been fly
ing winning pennants for five years.
In three seasons motor boat racing
she won 46 flags In 73 races
Although she was born In Lon
don some twenty-six years ago,
Miss Marian Barbara Carstair.
spent the greater portion of her
life in the United States. She is
related to the John ID. Rockefellers
on her mothers side. Long age
she ceased to be called anything
but Betty" or Joe" by her friends
In 1916 she went to France tc
drive an ambulance. She also
drove an ambulance in ireland dur.
ing the turbulent Easter Rebellion
period.
!, Miss Carstairs is not worried
with the hazards OF her transat.
lantic trip. although she is vel
aware that II she strikes any float.
ing debris. or even a good sized
fish on her speedy voyage. her boa