WIRELESS INTERRUPTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20600, 26 June 1930, Page 11

WIRELESS INTERRUPTED.

SEARCH FOR BEARINGS. FLYING BLIND IN DARK. RADIO OPERATOR'S ORDEAL. FATIGUED BY LONG STRAIN. (Ccp;. i -ght in New Zealand by Australian Presa Aaaocoaticn. "World's copyright bv ->ew York Times.) (Received June 25, 9.5 p.m.) NitW YORE, June 35. A wireiess message from SquadrcnLeader Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross, received at U.2 p.m. Yesterday, New York time, stated: " For a lengthy penod we hare been attempting to work radio station at Cape Race, Newfoundland, but without success. We are within 100 miles of Cape Race and the big stiff does not reply." Then after calling all stations a message came: " It does not look as if we shall get our bearings jnst when we want them." At 12.9 a.m., New York time, the wireless operator radioed: "AH 0.K., old boy. Hare been messing about trying to get our bearings. It is very dark and wa are flying blind. The motors are ringed with games. "We are still 160 miles from Cape Race and it is a dickens of a struggle to keep awake . now. The drone cf the engines makes yon tired." Wireless Working Badly. Next tha following brief message was received: " A faint streak of dawn. We will try far new bearings now." Another period cf silence then set in with the radio stations at the Times Office, Cape Race, on the battleship Wyoming and in the liner Aqnitania trying to resume communications. The air, however, was full of interference. It was apparent from tha latest messages that Kingsford Smith could not obtain accurate bearings and bad rather over-estimated the distance he had covered. However, it was believed at the time that he was certainly near Cape Race. Both short-wave and 600-metrs sets were used by those who were trying to reach the monoplane's tiny, and none too strong, receiver set. Weather reports from the vicinity of Portland, Maine, indicated that therg wars thunderstorms there. Halifax Falls to Get Sews. The Halifax correspondent of the New York Times reported at 2.40 a.m., Nova Scotia time: "Nothing further heard on the short-wave set hers from the Southera Cross. The last communication was received here at 12.20 a.m., when the signals were weaker than when previously heard. " The silence of the monoplane need not cause undue apprehension as it may be due to the fact that the operator has fallen asleep. He mentioned being tired ; in his last message'received here. "It is possible also that the monoplans is now so close to Nova Scotia that her vijm.ilci are skipping 1 more contrarily i than Mary.' These short-waves do that sort of thing. "No further interference from the! Navy or from Rome. We are keeping a j continuous watch. It is raining hers at present and there is a light westerly breeze. The visibility is still good seaward- The temperature is 60 degrees."

FLYING IN CIRCLES. MACHINE LOST FOR HOURS. HOW PETROL SUPPLY DWINDLED. (E.eceiv«j 25, 10.5 jj.ai.) N"EW TOBK, Jane 2t>. A message from Halifax says the Canadian Gov em meet •u.-iraless station at Cape Race reported at 11.40 p.m. yesterday that the ■wireless reception set cn • the Southern Cross apparently was out of adjustment. Her signals could plainly be heard but attempts to give her bearings had failed. She was then near Cape Race. A due east bearing was given to the airmen by the Cape Race radio station at 2.26 a.m. to-day, indicating that the monoplane had been circling around the south-eastern tip of Newfoundland for some hours in an endeavour to establish her position. At that time the airmen had been aloft 29 hours and had nine hours'.supply of petrol left. \