FLYING THE ATLANTIC.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 133, 5 June 1919, Page 5

FLYING THE ATLANTIC.

ANOTHER COMPETITOR. BOMBING PLANE TO TRY. (Received 10.20 a.m.) NEW YORK, May 23—Delayed. The New York "Times" St. Johns correspondent states that the Yickers Yimy bombing aeroplane which will attempt the trans-Atlantic flight, has arrived, and the work of unloading has begun under the direction of the pilot. Lieut. Alcock, and the navigator, Lieut Brown. The plane will occupy Hawker's hangar. It is believed that after a brief test the machine will be flown to Harbor de Grace, from which point a start will be made. Alcock and Brown are members of the Ro3"al Flying Corps, and were captured by Germans during the war. They pxpect to be ready to make the flight before the Handley-Page, which is making preparations for the flight. The Vimy plane is fitted with twin 330-horse power eight cylinder Eagle Rolls-Royce engines, and carries 805 gallons of petrol, its speed being 00 miles an hour, and its cruising range 2400 miles. — (A. and N.Z. Cable.) THE OCEAN PATROL. IMPOSSIBLE IN HAWKER'S CASE. (Received 11.20 a.m.) LONDON. May 24—Delayed. •Questioned in connection with the criticisms from Australia regarding nonassistance to Hawker, the Admiralty points out the extreme difficulty id* arranging a patrol of the Atlantic, especially when the British Navy was engaged in war operations in four areas The public had no idea of what an efficient ocean patrol meant. It would necessitate the use of scores of sh'ps, and would entail tremendous expense. We had experience of what a search for aviator- meant in the North Sea during the w.-r. when flotillas were frequently sent out, but only on one occasion gave efficient aid to aviator.-. The proper method of assisting was to send seaplanes to locate missing avintors; warships were virtually useless. No date was fixed fur Hawker'- departure, and the warships might have been patrolling the ocean for months.—(A. and N.Z.)