INTENSIVE SEARCH YIELDS NO TRACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 268, 12 November 1935, Page 7

INTENSIVE SEARCH YIELDS NO TRACE.

MISSING FLYERS.

Still No News of "Smithy" And Pethybridge.

MANY MACHINES ENGAGED. United Press Association. — Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) SINGAPORE, November 11. The flying boats which have been searching for Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Mr. T. Pethybridge wirelessed that they had arrived at Rangoon after a thorough search of the Bay of Bengal but with no success. The Vildebeeste 'planes and Mr. C. J. Melrose searched the coast and all islands to the "westward of Siam, also with no success. All searchers will resume at dawn. The flying boats will make a wider sweep over the route. The Australian Government has sent a message to Air Commodore Sidney Smith warmly thanking him for the, search efforts. He says he will continue these while there is the faintest hope of rescuing the missing airmen. The Commonwealth has also authorised the use of the Qantas DHB6, now at Singapore, and an air liner will take off at dawn to search in the vicinity of the Mergui Archipelago, off the coast of Burma. The buoyancy of the Lady Southern Cross is discuseed by Captain P. G-. Taylor in his book, "Pacific Might," in which he says: "We had no doubt that the machine would float, as the main fuselage tank, of 200-gallon capacity, was fitted with dump valves, through which the fuel could be let go in a matter of seconds, and which could be sealed again by the operation of controls from the pilot's cockpit. With the main fuel line from the tank turned off, and the dump valves closed, there was flotation for 20001b weight, enough to take care of the weight of all parts of the aircraft which did not provide flotation in themselves. . . So, had the absolutely unbelievable happened ... I see no reason why we could not have remained afloat indefinitely, so long as everything held together. . ."■