THE TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHT

Evening Star, Issue 19918, 14 July 1928, Page 15

THE TRANSPACIFIC FLIGHT

SOME AMERICAN SIDELIGHTS [From Cos Cokresi'OXDest.] SAN FRANCISCO, Juno 13. Tho Kingston! Smith flight was a great lesson in world geography for the American nation, which for years has exorcised a painful ignorance anent Die position and claims of both Australia and New Zealand. Tho newspapers printed a map of tho Pacific Ocean, and the populace were enabled to visualise the actualities of the. British possessions “down under.” Page photographs of Brisbane and Sydney were published in the Californian newspapers, and Suva gained widespread publicity through the loan of delightful photographs of scenery by the Union Company. But what made more impression than anything else was the tremendous courage of both Kingsford Smith and Ulm, who were acknowledged by America to have been the “ brains ” of tho great undertaking. The fact that Harry Lyon steered a straight lino for bis goal most favourably impressed all Americans. Tho frequent cheery radio messages from James Warner won everlasting renown for the San Francisco radiographer. Very few of the American newspapers claimed “we did it,” giving the praise for the success of tho enterprise almost entirely to Kingsford Smith and the serious Ulm. Of course, the credit apportioned Lyon and Warner by Ulm and Kingsford Smith was promineutcly printed in the journals of the U.S.A., and it was not until the Australian Goyernmont had rewarded the two Australian flyers with Dio 25,000d0l that America • awoke to the occasion, and demanded that official Washington arouse itself and similarly recognise Lyon and Warner. William Randolph Hearst, tho San Francisco publisher, headed this campaign, and started the subscription list with a fine contribution of 5,000d01. “ AUSTRALIA’S YEAR.”

Some of tho newspaper comment was worthy of note. The San Francisco ‘ Chronicle,’ which favours Britishers and British institutions, said: “This is Australia’s year in the air. Wilkins in tho Arctic, Kingsford Smith and Uhn in tho Pacific, have made two of the greatest of aeroplane flights. The fact that tho Australian livers decided to take Warner and Lyonirom Suva to Australia, beyond their original contract with tho Americans, greatly appealed to all America on tho score of sportsmanship. San Francisco, which saw the Southern Cross sail proudly and bravely out through the Golden Gate, grasped with fierce enthusiasm the news that_ the ’plane had reached Suva. Sirens screeched, radio listeners yelled and cheered, and the entire city paid loud and heartfelt tribute to the heroes.

A brother of “ Smithy, ”11. H. Kingsford Smith, is employed in San Francisco by Die American Hawaiian Steamship Company. Harry Lyon’s father was Roar-Admiral Henry AV. Lyon. The spirit of adventure was not particularly apparent in Charles Kingsford Smith when he lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, as a boy. A family of born wanderers, clever, mechanically inclined, and adventuresome —that is what their friends in Vancouver say about his people, who lived there from 1903 to 1912.