FLARES MIGHT HAVE BEEN DROPPED

Evening Star, Issue 19763, 13 January 1928, Page 6

FLARES MIGHT HAVE BEEN DROPPED

MATERIAL PROVIDED. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, January 13. (Received January 13, at 12.50 p.m.) Regarding wireless signals coming from the Aotca-roa, it. is stated that, though Hood had only an elementary knowledge ol the Morse code, and could only transmit single letters slowly, he was given a series of code letter signals consisting of from two to lour letters, indicating that it was a Ryan monoplane. The call signs and interpretation code were wired to the Government radio station at Wellington, and to ships within wireless distance of Sydney and Wellington, but it was considered doubtful if any wireless operator who was not in possession of the call signs and the code signals could interpret any wireless message received as coming from the monoplane. At Richmond aerodrome, while finally attending to the engines, Moncrieff was handed a small pocket flash lamp, which he retained. This, however, if used for signalling, would bo visible only a very short distance. It could not possibly have been seen from a monoplane 3,000 feet up (assuming that the airmen were using it to signal) by persons on land, unless with the aid of the most powerful night glasses. Air Mechanic Ward, who assisted to get the plane off, states that he gave Moncrieff two bundles of cotton waste and a length of tubing as he sat at the controls. This would enable him to saturate the waste with petrol and droj) two or three flares.