HAWKER'S FLIGHT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 5 June 1919, Page 7

HAWKER'S FLIGHT

ADMIRALTY REPLIES TO CRITICS

WHAT A PATROL ENTAILS

BY CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION^-COPYEIGHT <Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received June 5, 12.40 p m ) LONDON, May 24 (delayed). Questioned in connection with criticisms from Australia regarding nonassistance to Hawker, the Admiralty point out the extreme difficulty of arranging a patrol of the Atlantic especially, when the British Navy is engaged in war operations in four areas. Ihe public has no idea what an efficient ocean patrol means. It would necessitate the use of scores of ships and entail tremendous expense. We had had. experience of what the search for aviators meant in the North Sea during -the war, when .flotillas were frequently sent out,- but on only one occasion gave efficient aid to the aviators. Warships were virtually useless. The proper method of assisting was to send seaplanes to locate missing aviators. No date was"' fixed for Hawker's, departure, and the warships might have been patrolling the ocean for months.