DARTING ABOUT IN FOG

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 88, 12 January 1928, Page 10

DARTING ABOUT IN FOG

’PLANE REPORTED SEEN IN SOUNDS PARTY WATCH MANOEUVRES FOR TWO HOURS The following message was received at 9-30 last night by the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Office from Mr. W. Jcnes, postmaster at Endeavour Inlet: — “S. W. Adams and . party, of Blenheim, now holidaying at Endeavour Inlet, report as follows;— Aeroplane came within the vicinity of Endeavour Inlet and Cape Jackson between midnight and 2' a.m. In the event of there being no search ’plane out at that hour, it was probably the missing aviators’ ’plane. It was darting about in ‘the fog as though it was hunting for Stephen Island light. . The aeroplane’s manoeuvres indicated that it had lost its bearings and was searching for a light. The ’plane was not heard, but a light appeared about seven or eight miles away and right above at a range of two thousand feet in height. The party watched it from midnight till 2 o’clock.” AEROPLANE SEEN FROM TRAIN BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wanganui, January 11. A Wanganui' solicitor, who was a passenger on the evening express from Wellington to Marton on .Tuesday evening states that 20 or 30 people on the train distinctly saw a ’plane flyng inland from Porirua. When he heard others talking about it _he looked out and discerned a speck in the distance rapidly disappearing. This was about 8 o’clock. SHIPS IN TASMAN. SEA The collier Kaiwarra, which left Wellington at 8.25 o’clock on Tuesday night for Sydney, may pass in the vicinitv of the airmen if they are adrift in the Tasman. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion cargo liner Gallic, en route from Townsville (Queensland) to New Plymouth, was approximately 900 miles 1 to the north-westward of the Taranaki | port on Tuesday afternoon. She has reported by radio that she will arrive at New Plymouth to-morrow afternoon. A Wanganui message says no trace of the missing aeroplane was seen by the coastal steamers Inaha, Breeze, and Kapiti, which arrived there yesterday morning, or by the Arapawa, from Onehunga. FINE WEATHER FOR I FLIGHT Most favourable weather ptevailed near the New Zealand coast on Tues--1 dav morning, judging by the statement of Mr Jones, 1 chief offi-er of . the intercolonial passenger steamer Ulimaroa, which arrived at Wellington at 11.20 a.m. on Tuesday from Sydney. Mr. Jones informed a Dominion reporter vesterdav that beautiful weather prevailed in' the Tasman. There was a moderate south-easterly breeze all the way from Sydney, with fine clear skies until Tuesday morning, when there was a light north-easterly wind with only a slight sea off. the coast and in Cook Strait, and the sky still Continued clear. ' ' . , INTENSE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SYMPATHY FOR RELATIVES Not for many years has any happening aroused public interest and anxiety as has the trans-Tasman flight and its unfortunate ending. ■ Throughout Tuesday night and until after 3 o’clock yesterday morning the telephones in The Dominion office were working continuously answering inquiries as to the whereabouts of. the airmen. , A brief lull of five or six hours followed, and the telephone operators were hard -at it again all day yesterday. The flight caused a heavy pressure of work in the 'Telegraph Department, and ■ the head office was working continuously' till 10 o’clock on Tuesday night and all. day yesterday answering inquiries, receiving reports, and making ' investigations' of the rumours and reports concerning the airmen. The flight and the possible fate of the aviators was a general topic of conversation in the city, and. indeed, throughout the Dominion yesterday. On all sides the hope was expressed that the missing men would ultimately be found safe and well, and the warmest ‘sympathy was expressed for their wives and other relatives who are suffering the acutest anxiety and worry.

CAPTAIN KIGHT’S CONCLUSIONS BELIEVES ’PLANE LANDED (Rec. January 11, 7.10 pan.) Sydney, January 11. Captain Kight, in conjunction with Lieutenant Walley, after carefully comparing the working-out of the pre-ar-ranged plans of the flight, with times and places where the ’plane was reported to have been observed in New Zealand, concludes that the petrol rah out, and the ’plane landed in rough country in the Tararua or Rimutaka ranges. The fliers having been fortyone hours without sleep, twenty-one of which they had been flying, they would be absolutely worn out and would go straight off to sleep, possibly lasting twenty-four hours. This may account for the want of any further information as to their whereabouts. INFLUENCE OF ANTI-CYCLONIC DISTURBANCE THE DISTANCE FLOWN (Rec. January 11, 11.5 p.m.) Sydney, January 11. Captain Kight states that allowing for the influence of the known anti-cyclonic disturbance which it was expected might influence the flight, and the possible consequent drift, lie calculates the distance flown between Richmond and New Zealand at 1630 miles, and when it was sighted at Stephen Island the machine had been 21 hours 40 minutes in the air. Failing a landing at Trentham, it had been arranged that the fliers should attempt to land at the Faekakariki or Foxton beaches. Apparently they found themselves 'over the sea, and turned landward again seeking a landing.- This would account for their, subsequent reported movements. Captain Kight accounts for the steamer Kaiwarra’s report that it had seen a dropping flare by the fliers having climbed to escape the mist and then opening the engine to descend, giving the impression of flares. Then subsequently cruising round in search for Trenthatn, the airmen found themselves again over the sea and turned northwards towards the Rimutakas. The petrol then running very low, gave out in rough country between the Tararua and Rimutaka Ranges. PLANS TO LAND ON FOXTON BEACH Captain Kight this evening cabled to the Secretary of the Telegraph Office from Sydney: “Please ' inform all concerned that the plans were to land on Foxton beach in case of .a night landing. Whilst waiting for confirmation of the times that tile Kaiwarra and Arahura sighted the ’ aeroplane, mv present opinion is that they landed in tlie vicinity of the Rimutakas, and as they had had no sleep for fortyone hours, twenty-one of which were spent in /he air, sleep-would be their first thought.” NAVIGATION IN THE AIR ( VIEWS OF SEAFARERS A widespread opinion was expressed yesterday that the flight should not iiave been attempted without an experienced navigator who .could also operate the wireless set, which should have been able to transmit messages so that the navigator could communicate the position of the aeroplane every half-hour. In the event of a forced descent the rescue of the airmen would have been greatly facilitated, for the searchers would have had an approximate idea of where the mishap occurred. In future attempts the suggestion is that a certificated marine officer should comprise one, of. the aeroplane’s crew. Such a man should have taken the place of one of the aviators in the Ao-tea-Roa. Experienced nautical men stated- yesterday that they list! little doubt that the aeroplane took the water about 100 miles westward from the New Zealand coast in the Tasman Sea, and a search out there should be made. It is stated that neither Moncrieff nor Hood had any practical navigational experience, and that, realising the .importance of this aspect of the trnns-Tasmau flight, they both consulted Captain A. ‘G. Gifford, the wellknown navigational instructor of Wellington, before they left for Australia. They received some instruction in navigational work and were provided with valuable data regarding their course from Sydney to Wellington. When travelling in the. Maunganui to Svdney the airmen also consulted Captain A. H. Davey, commander of the ship, who gave them much additional information and some useful hints as to steering their course by the stars and the sun.