NO NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 248, 19 October 1928, Page 7

NO NEWS.

ATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Macdonald And His Moth

Not Reported.

CHANGING WEATHER

{Received 12-80 p.m.)

(United Servlee.)

LONDON, October 18,

There is no news at 2 p.m. to-day of Commander H. C. Macdonald, who left St. Johns, Newfoundland, yesterday in a Gipsy Moth 'plane to fly the Atlantic.

The wind was south-west. In Ireland there was a bad morning with a south-west gale and poor visibility, but the conditions were greatly improved this afternoon.

On the contrary there was a bright morning in the south of England, but the wind changed round to a south-we3t gale in the afternoon with rain squalls and much mist.

GOOD WEATHER.

With Following Wind Might

Cross In 19 Hours.

ANXIETY BEING PELT.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.30 p.m.)

RUGBY, October 18.

Lieutenant-Commander Macdonald, who is attempting to fly the Atlantis, is in the emergency list of the Royal Navy. He served in the Warspite at Jutland and later was appointed to a submarine. He was returned to the general section and was subsequently engaged in the coastal motor boat service.

The route he intended to take is that followed by Alcock and Brown in their pioneer flight of 1919, from Newfoundland to the west coast of Ireland. They covered 1800 miles in 16h 12m, still the fastest flight that has ever been made across the Atlantic.

Commander Macdonald was expected, if all went well, to reach the west coast of Ireland this afternon. The British Air Ministry states that the conditions for the flight have been excellent. Macdonald would have had a wind of 30 miles an hour behind him all the way across the Atlantic, and with a cruising speed of 80 miles per hour, the distance of 1600 miles from Newfoundland to Ireland might have been accomplished in a little over nineteen hours.

He had a bright night and excellent visibility. The bad weather on tha Irish coast cleared up before he could have reached the coast. Before he set off on his daring venture Macdonald was advised by the Meteorological Department of the Air Ministry to follow a more northerly route than usual, and if he followed that route be should have reached the coast of Galway at one o'clock this afternoon and would be expected at Stag Lane aerodrome, London, to which he hoped to fly, about six o'clock this evening.

The absence of news is now causing anxiety. The aviator has not been sighted by any ship. Air experts declare that he has enough petrol to keep on flying until to-morrow morning.

There is a possibility that he may have landed at some isolated spot in Ireland. He has- no wireless and io event of his having to land where there is lack of communication he may not be heard of for some time.

WIFE'S TRYING WAIT.

"He Will Do It,'* Says Brave

Little Woman.

CONFIDENCE IN HUSBAND.

(British Official Wireless,) (Received 1 p.m.)

RUGBY, October 18.

Commander Macdonald's wife, at her South Kensington home, waited throughout the night and to-day. She is a cheery, altogether brave little womau, sitting beside the telephone with hei five-year-old son, who proudly proclaimed to callers: "My daddy's in his aeroplane."

Mrs. Macdonald had no personal notification from her husband and only learned that he had started through the 8.8.C. broadcast. "That was to save me pain," she said, "but there, I know he will be all right. He will do it."

Nevertheless great anxiety was readable in the clear brave eyes. "He has been very keen on this flight ever since he took up flying. He would not say much about it to his friends and he only took a small suitcase when he left for America."

He shunned publicity and sent on hi? aeroplane in advance in order to avoid talk. She once expressed her disapproval of the flight but when she found his mind was made up she did not express that opinion again.

Europe is very deeply impressed with the daring nature of the flight in view of the inexperience of the pilot and the smallness of the machine.