Evening star., 1937-07-07
BY HAROLD F. GRAY.

FOYNES. Ireland, July tBy Wire
leSs) When dark smudge ap-
peared through the misty curtain, 80
miles through, the first break in
gray horizon that held unchanging
since the sun disappeared behind low
hanging cloud banks off the New
foundland coast last night. First Of
ficer William De Lima, sharing the
bridge watch with me. turned slightly
nodded his head and said, There
she is
Navigation Officer William H. Mas
land. who had estimated fully two
hours before that We should be able
to make our landfall on the loop head
along the delta of the Shannon at
4:22, came forward with his contour
chart Of the coast to verify our sight.
Radio Operator Roberts raised the
earphones from his head, peered
around the direction finder transmit
ter, took one long look, but he didn't
lose single dash as, at the same
time, he tapped out our sighting mes
sage to Foynes ahead. to Botwood
and Port Washington.
G. D. Wright, our engineering officer,
remarked that he thought it was 60
ing to be green, that this rain that
had given US soupy gray mist to fly
through for the past two hours would
have to spoil the end of his first trip
to Europe. A few minutes later We
made out the village of Foynes itself
and then familiar objects-radio tow
ers. buildings, shipping in the harbor
took on more definite shape through
the mist. Until then, the first trans
Atlantic transport survey flight from
America had been just another fight
operation based upon the same rigid
engineering specifications that have
long become standards with the Pan
American AirWays system.
'In No Manner Difficult"
The sight Of the Irish coast-a bit
of land that many airmen before US
have strained their eyes to see-was a
really welcome sight Not that it
meant the end Of difficult flight. The
flight was in no manner difficult. To
us it meant the completion of an as
signment satisfactory in every respect
and accomplished in q manner that
should aid the acceptance of trans
Atlantic air transport as a dependable,
properly safeguarded means OF mod
ern travel.
Through the misty morning we swept
arn
the North, another half arc into the
wind again and then dropped under
full power to within few feet of the
surface. At 4:4l, exactly IL hours 80
minutes from our departure last night
from the North American mainland,
the keel of our clipper easily touched
the waters of the River Shannon and
our flight was over.
Some of the meaning of the coming
transatlantic air service became evil
dent In the enthusiastic welcome we
received, as, our clipper securely
moored at the same base from which
Imperial Always r. M. A. Caledonia
had departed Is hours before on their
brilliant flight against the same winds
that had helped us, to land on schedule
IN Newfoundland, We stepped ashore
for the first time.
Going Remarkably Smooth.
President Eamon de Valera Minister
OF Commerce Sean Lemass. the Amer
lean Minister, and other officials ex-
tended us warm and complimentary
greetings. bade us welcome to Ireland,
and spoke enthusiastically of the COM
ing establishment of regular trans
Atlantic air service and the value of
this to Ireland.
We were not particularly tired. We
had had ample rest in Botwood be-
fore our departure and had taken our
watches regularly through the night.
But every one was most solcitous of
us. Actually the flight had been en-
tirely pleasant.
During the first half of the flight
the going was remarkably smooth.
The skies above us were clear, 50 filled
with stars that We checked our course
with celestial sights every 30 minutes.
After sunset twilight filled the great
bowl through which we were steadily
moving east. Through this, giving
the appearance of the slightest mists,
the stars were not particularly sharp.
So We all took as much practice as we
could at sighting the Atlantic's stars
through the twilight that lasts much
of the year.
Our friendly westerly winds held
well. increasing at times to a velocity
OF 40 miles an hour, and during one
hour pushing our speed up to well over
200 miles.
At 1906, as We neared the halfway
mark, W checked bearings With the