FURTHER SIGNALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19371, 8 July 1937, Page 5

FURTHER SIGNALS

MISSING FLYERS BELIEF OF AMATEURS SHIPS WIDENING SEARCH AREA OF PHOENIX GROUP CONCERN OF PRESIDENT * (Reed. July 8, 11.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, July 7.

A message received at San Francisco from the Coast Guard cutter Itasca, which had been searching tor the lost American flyers, Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam and Captain F. J. Noonan, in the vicinity of Howland Island, stated that it had received instructions yesterday to proceed to the Phoenix Islands. The cutter signalled this fact to the British freighter Moorby, which was co-operating in the search, and the latter vessel abandoned the search and resumed her course.

A Honolulu mesage says that the Itasca reported that new directional bearings obtained concerning the possible position of Mrs. Putnam, indicate that she flashed the SOS signals from a line running south-south-east or north-north-west of Howland, this line coinciding with the last position broadcast by Mrs. Putnam before the descent of the plane. The search of the area north of Howland having been exhausted, it is believed that the interpretation of the above bearings justifies a search considerably to the south of Howland. The Itasca is proceeding to a rendezvous 100 miles from Howland with the Colorado before refuelling and continuing with the latter towards the Phoenix Group where the vessels are expected to arrive at noon, Australian time, on Thursday. Carrier Signals Heard

Honolulu reports that radio amateurs continue to report signals believed to be from Mrs. Putnam.

Five other radio stations to-day reported hearing carrier signals, two in Honolulu, two in Los Angeles and one at Whittier, California. They stated that they sounded as though powered by a motor generator instead of direct current.

The Lockheed Aviation Company sent a wireless message to the Itasca, saying that it was impossible for Mrs. Putnam-to send wireless messages if the 'plane was on the water.

Mr. Putnam, the husband of the missing aviatrix, sent a radio message to the Itasca, stating that there was a strong possibility that Captain Noonan might have changed the equipment to make possible the sending of radio messages from the ’plane while on the, water. British Suggestion

A message' received by the American naval authorities from the British Broadcasting Corporation suggested that the airwoman's position of 281 miles,' which had been giver in a message from the plane might have meant, 2 degrees, 8 seconds, which would lessen the distance to 100 miles from Howland Island, the figure one being considered an error in transmission, 1 ,

President Roosevelt, who has shown concern over:the missing flyers, has ordered the.search to cover as much territory as possible.

Mr. Putnam has expresed appreciation of the aid given by the navy. “They have done everything. I am grateful for their extensive efforts,’ he said. ,

The Japanese aeroplane-carrier, Kamoie, and the naval survery ship Koshu have began a search for the flyers in the Marshall Islands area, 500 miles north-west of Howland Island.

United States Naval circles hold the belief that Mrs. Putnam’s plane probably landed on an atoll. Therefore they are preparing a carefully coordinated search.