FLIGHT OF HINCHCLIFFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19897, 16 March 1928, Page 11

FLIGHT OF HINCHCLIFFE.

ANXIETY IN AMEBICA. HOPE ALMOST ABANDONED TIME-LIMIT NEARLY LP. PLANE REPORTED ON COAST RUMOURS NOT CREDITED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received March 15, 5.45 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. NEW YORK. March 14. The areoplane in which Captain Hinchcliffo and the Hon. Elsie Mackay set out from Cranwell, Lincolnshire, yesterday morning had not been reported at New York late this afternoon. Foggy weather prevails between Newfoundland and New York. A message from St. Johns, Newfoundland, this afternoon, said the marine and other authorities there had abandoned hope at noon that the flight of Captain Hinchcliffe could succeed. The plane at ithat hour had been 33$ hours out from Cranwell and should have flown far beyond Newfoundland, even against unfavourable winds. Two reports, which are not credited, say a plane was seen in the vicinity of St. John. However, as the weather was clear the machine should have been plainly seen by a sealing fleet 150 miles east-north-east of St. John, but the sealers have reported nothing of it. The weather conditions have been good along the entire coast except for heavy fogs off Maine yesterday. An apparently credible report from London says Captain Hinchcliffe carried sufficient petrol for a 45 hours' flight. Based on this some slight hope is felt in New York that he may arrive to-night. All is ready at the airfields in New York and Philadelphia to receive the airman in case he should arrive. People in some of the towns along the coast report that they heard an unsighted plane moving toward New York or Boston. Flares were lighted when they heard the plane, but there was no appearance of the airman. No other news of the fliers has been received and unless they appear very soon there will be no hope for their safety. Officials of the Stinson Corporation, which built Captain Hinchcliffe's plane, say it was sold to him on the understanding that it was to be used for a flight to India, not to America, for which latter flight its normal petrol capacity was hardly sufficient. AIRMAN'S COMPANION. MISS MACKAY ON BOARD. FRIEND CONFIDENT OF RESULT. (Received March 15, 8.35 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. LONDON, March 11. It has now been definitely established that the Hon. Elsie Mackay, daughter of Viscount Inchcape, accompanied Captain Hinchcliffe on his flight. The latter's friend, Mr. Sinclair, to-day arrived at Mrs. Hinchcliffe's house at Purify, thus finally disposing of a rumour that there were three persons in the plane. In an interview to-day, he said it was only two hours before the departure of the aeroplane that Miss Mackay decided to fly with Captain Hinchcliffe. Continuing he said:— "My work has been to superintend the equipment and prepare tho machine in which I originally thought I should be flying. I had been working for a fortnight to got ready and had not slept for the last four or five nights. The rest of the party arrived on Monday, but I was so busy placing stuff on board the plane that I did not notice the repeated talks between Miss Mackay and Captain Hinchcliffe. "I only know that suddenly at 2 o'clock on Tuesday morning I was told I was not to fly. We had been up all night making preparations. We went to the aerodrome in Miss Mackay's c<V- There everything was in readiness. I shook hands with them, and the next thing I remember was waving good-bye to the plane, which had started. Now I am waiting anxiously, but I am full of hope. "Captain Hinchcliffe mentioned many times that he would, it possible, push on to Philadelphia. I think it is likely the machine slipped through the watchers at Newfoundland in the fog. They have petrol enough for 45 to 50 hours' flight, so they can still keep going. We found it impossible to make any calculations as to the time the trip would take. That would depend upon the strength and variation of the wind. "Captain Hinchcliffe said he was confident he would be able to pick out a landing place at St. John by the lights of the town. If that were impossible he would push further on. There was no night on Monday for our party. We stayed lip talking and preparing rations until tho decision was reached suddenly at 2 a.m. That is the whole story." The name of Captain Hinchcliffe's friend was previously cabled as Sinclair Gordon. PLANE STATED SEEN. REPORTS FROM THE COAST. • - % LANDING STORY DISPROVED. (Received March 15, 10.32 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. NEW YORK, March 15. A message from St. John, New, Brunswick, says a newspaper correspondent telegraphs from Moncton, 88 miles northeast of the capital, stating that the crew of one of the Canadian National Railway's freight trains say that early this morning they distinctly saw a plane flying low from the coast at Anagance, near Moncton. They assert that a red light and a white light were visible and they presumed it was Captain Hinchliffe's craft. Many reports were received late last night from coastal districts to the effect that residents had heard a plane which they believed was heading for Philadelphia. One report said Captain Hinchliffe had landed at Menlo Park, New Jersey. This was investigated by the State police and proved to be unfounded.