Foreign Speed

Frederick B. Patterson, head of the great National Cash Register Co. of Dayton, Ohio, is also President of the National Aeronautic Association. He has just returned from a trip to Europe, undertaken to make the Pulitzer Trophy race next October an international contest. M. Dewoitine, French constructor, will enter a biplane of 500 horsepower with Sadi Lecointe, holder of the world's altitude record (almost seven miles), as his pilot. The Fiat Co. of Turin, Italy, will probably be represented by Pilot Brae Papa. The Belgians will come in if they have any luck at the Beaumont Cup race next June. . . .

Leaving America

With the comfortable feeling that the World Cruise was sailing safely on its way, newspapers and public began to lose interest in the great adventure. But the feeling of security was false. From Sitka, Alaska, to Seward, Alaska, the 610 miles of coast-wide flight proved highly dangerous. Ideal weather at the start was followed by a blinding snow- storm, and a collision just avoided by the aviators, who were flying "close" to maintain contact.

Seward marked 2,900 miles traveled out of the 27,000 necessary to encircle the globe. Another 450 miles landed Lowell H. Smith, Erik Nelson and Leigh Wade at Chignik in spite of more "hardboiled" Alaska weather in the shape of snow squalls and high winds. Even the hardy aviators showed every sign of exhaustion, increased by anxiety at the disappearance of their Commander Major Frederick L. Martin. In spite of fatigue and weather they were preparing to seek their comrade, when news arrived of his rescue in Portage Bay by the U. S. destroyer Hull. A leaky tank had forced the flagship Seattle down into the icy waters, and a night's exposure had proved none too pleasant* for the Major and his mechanics.

At Chignik, the expedition awaited a new engine for their commander's plane. This was to be their last stop on the American continent. They were scheduled to wend their way over the sparsely populated Aleutian Islands, with only a few fishermen to help in case of need.

The expedition is a wonderful study in Geography. The Aleutian Islands are not at the end of the world. They are halfway on the shortest route from North America to Asia, perhaps the site of future air ports of intercontinental air lines.

*A seaplane with, motor going is seaworthy enough. But without propulsive force, a seaplane is much worse off than an ordinary boat. The wind at any moment may catch the vast expanse of wings, bringing capsizal and disaster.