AVIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17810, 17 December 1919, Page 7

AVIATION.

CAPTAIN ROSS SMITH. RECOMMENDED FOR HONOURS. Press, Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, December 15. It is understood that the Air Minister has recommended his Majesty to confer honours on Captain Ross Smith and his crew. It is probable that Ross Smith will receive a knighthood of the British Empire.—A. and N.Z. Cable. UNEASINESS FELT FOR HIS SAFETY. SEARCH CARS OUT. SYDNEY, December 16. (Received Dec. 16, at 11.10 p.m.) Captain Ross Smith passed Newcastle Waters on Sunday. No word has been received of him since, and search cars are out. COMMERCIAL AVIATION. SYDNEY, December 16. A meeting of business men adopted a motion recommending the commercial men of Australia to financially support the promotion of commercial aviation, both internal and oversea. DISASTER TO CAPTAIN HOWELL. LONDON, December 15. The Air Ministry had no news of Captain Howell since he left Taranto for Athens on December 9.—A. and N.Z Cable. [A London cable, dated the 14th inet., reported that Captain C. B. Howell's Martinsyde aeroplane was wrecked off St. George's Bay, Corfu, on December 10. There was no hope for any survivors. Captain Howell's log was washed ashore, which proved the machine's identity. Captain Howell, a Victorian, with a splendid war record as airman, started from London on a flight to Australia on December 4. Hi 3 machine had eevere tests by the buildew prior to being handed over to him two weeks before the start. It had a 275 hp Rolls-Royce engine. He reached Taranto on December 8, close on the hools of Captain Wilkins's Kangaroo, which started about 10 days before the Martuisyde. The cables had not so far stated how many of a crew the Martinsydc carried. Corfu ; s an island in the lonian Sea, lying outside the Strait of Otranto, the entrance to the Adriatic. It adjoins the Epirus. NorthWest Greece, and is about 150 miles from Taranto, in the south of Italy. Captain •Howell had accomplished rather more than one-third of his journey from Taranto to Athens when disaster overtook him.] PACIFIC FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA. AN AMERICAN COMPETITOR. NEW YORK, December 15. A message from Los Angeles, California, states that Sir Arthur Brown has entered a Vickers-Vimy machine for tho proposed Pacific flight to Australia for the Ince prize of £10,000.—A. and N.Z. Cable. AERIAL DERBY. ROUND-THE-WORLD RACE. m TOKIO, December 14. The American Commission for the Aerial Derby around the world is consulting the Japanese authorities concerning fheht preparations.' It is announced that each country will be permitted to make rulings governing flight across its territories.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

AERO PASSENGER CLUB. LONDON, December 14. The Aero Company has decided to suspend passenger flying during the winter, owing to insufficient demand.—A. and N.Z. Cable.