DRAMATIC SIGNALS FROM LOST FLYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 158, 6 July 1937, Page 7

DRAMATIC SIGNALS FROM LOST FLYERS.

RACE TO RESCUE.

Cutter's Dash to 281 Miles North of Howland.

tQtfTT HOLD—MUCH LONGER. ,

Doited Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 1.30 p.m.) HONOLULU, July 5. The coastguard cutter Itasca, jearching for the lost flyers, Mrs. .Amelia (Earhart) Putnam and Mr. p. J. Noonan, forced down on their round-the-world project, raced northward over the Pacific toward a point 281 miles from Howland Island after intercepting portions of a message from Mr?. Putnam received at 1.30 p.m. f indicating that the 'plane is adrift or on a reef at that point. Fragments of the message received read: "281 north Howland—call KHAQQ —beyond north—don't hold—with us— much longer above water—shut off." It ie interpreted by the Itasca to mean that Mrs. Putnam and Mr. Xoonan are endangered and could not hold out much longer. A Xew York cable message states that radio amateur.-! at San Francisco, Awburn and Washington claim to have picked up messages on 15,600 kilocycles, stating: "Still alive. Better hurry. Tell husband all right," and "Waterlogged. Can't last much longer." The messages have not been verified as coming; from the aviators. Powerful radio stations are receiving faint signals, believed almost certainly to be from Mrs. Putnam in response to a continuous broadcast from Station KGMB. The Pan-American Airways Company's direction-finder picked up calls at Mokapu Point, Hawaii, the estimated origin of which was south of Howland Island. The company could not place the location exactly owing to the weakness of the signals. The coastguard cutter Itasca, which was cruising north-west of the island, thanged her course after being notified of the company's calculations, which placed the flyers roughly upon a line from Mokapu southward and running ilightly to the east of Howland Island. The master of the Itasca reported by radio last night that he had searched north-west and north-east of Howland Island,over a radius of 120 miles with bo result. Visibility and sea conditions were excellent. Coastguard authorities have publicised the Itasca's log, showing the failure of Mrs. Putnam to co-operate with the ship' before her disappearance. The log i showed that the aviatrix had failed'-to adjust her radio transmissions to a frequency attuned with the ship's direction-finder, although the Itasca was stationed, at Howland Island at Mrs. Putnam's request. The Itasca's report stated, inter alia, that "although Mrs. Putnam was advised that the Itasca direction-finder's frequency range was 500 kilocycles and repeatedly requested to transmit on that frequency to enable ships to cut in, ihe neither acknowledsred nor complied, although the Itasca's advice indicates her ability to transmit on that frequency."

OFFICIAL CONCERN.

Will Discourage Future "Stunt Flights. ,, P.O. FOR HOWLAND REFUSED. WASHINGTON, July 5. Aviation officials are reading the reports of the search for Mrs. Putnam and Mr. Noonan with a growing determination to discourage such flights in future. Most of the officials are out of the «ty on holiday and those who remain refuse to discuss what action may be taken, but it appears to be virtually certain that the Government will take » firmer stand. Officials of the Department of Commerce have long been cool toward what they term "stunt flights" over long ttretches of water. An example was its refusal to sanction the proposed Lindbergh race to Paris owing to the fear that it would result in tragedy and prove harmful to the plans for the establishment of a regular transatlantic service. Mrs. Putnam came to Washington •everal months ago seeking official aid. She was given all the technical advice available but was not given official encouragement. One of the things the airwoman •ought but failed to obtain was the establishment of a post office on Howland Island, in spite of her appeal directly to the Postmaster-General, Mr. James A. Farley, who declined the request on the ground that it was not feasible. She wanted the post office in order to have franked thousands of first«°ver mail which she carried. Officials state that every possible eieans of locating the lost flyers will pe utilised. The cost to the Government w expected to amount to many thousands of dollars. I

JAPANESE OFFER.

SHIPS READY TO JOIN SEARCH. (Received 11.30 a.m.) TOKYO, July 5. Mr. Koki Hirota, Foreign Minister, "as informed the United States that Japanese fishing vessels plus the Navy «'e ready to join in the search for Mrs. J utnam.