Aviation.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 24, 15 December 1919, Page 5

Aviation.

FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA.

CAPTAIN MATTHEWS' VOYAGE.

Press Aspoomtion—Copyright, Australian and N Z Cabl* Assoeiatian London, December 12-

Captain Matthews was not able to secure petrol at Belgrade, and is pushing on to Bucharest, He does not intend to return to England, being determined to reach Australia.

POULET’S ADVENTURES.

MOUNTAINS DODGED.

DUMB SHOW JM THE DESERT.

Press Association—Copyright. Published in "The Times." (Received 8.40 a.m.). Paris, December 1 '2. Poulet’s adventures make strange reading.

Le Matin publisheg an account which states that the Frenchman regarded the troubles as normal until between Alona and Salonika. He nearly ran into a peak 2400 metres high near Dedeagatch. A sudden storm beat Poulet to the earth, and he flew dangerously at a height of 1500 feet from the ground owing to a shortage of petrol. At Konia and Adana he took in supplies of castor oil. He suffered severely from the heat in Mesopotamia, and was forced to land in the middle of the Desert of Chabar, where Baluchis armed to the teeth surrounded and threatened him.

: ‘‘After a great-to-do, the Sultan extended protection over us,’’ writes Poulet.' ‘’though did understand' a word each other said, I •did- I not hke the surroundings, and we ; -kept Q}#! eyqs i QPWi ithrpUgLpsf •the night. We only got a handful of rice and 1 wateii/i which L-at' Parisian 1 would not have drunk for .<l‘ hundred thousand francs.” Poulet found Karachi excited owing to the report that lie had fallen into the sea. . The British authorities, .scut post haste to the spot and found it was a whale stranded by the tide.

POULET STILL AT RANGOON.

Press Assn. —Copy •■•got -Australian Cable Association. (Received 8.45 a.m.) - . Paris, December 13. Poulet is still at Rangoon.

1,11 VFOULET’S BAD LUCK. ■‘' I a 1 n.u r. v . —. Press Assn.—Oquyright-^Aastrahan turn and N.Z. Cable Association.

Paris, December 12

The newspaper Auto says Poulet ia returning to Paris by air in order to prepare for the tour round the world competition organised by the American Aero Club,

Much anxiety is felt regarding Pouleit. The last news of him was a cablegram to Caudron, dated December 3rd, from Bangkok, mentioning the bad condition of his petrol tank. It is believed that Poulet, after leaving Bangkok, was obliged to land at a spot remote from telegraph communication.

possibility OF COMMERCIAL SERVICE,

Press Association —Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. ■ Darwin, December 14.

Captain Ross Smith, interviewed regarding the possibility of a commercial aerial service between England and Australia, suggested a division of the route into sections a; follows: London to Cairo, thence to Calcutta, to Singapore, Darwin, and Melbourne. The first stage, with the Co-Operation of Britain, I ranee and Italy, could easily be arranged. The next stage, Cairo to Calcutta, is already being considered by the Indian Government, which is contemplating the establishment of an aerial mail in the near future, and is arranging to erect aerodromes from Calcutta onwards. Owing to jungle ami swamp between Singapore and Java, the Dutch Government constructed an aerodrome at Banka Island There are spine good aerodromes in Western Java, hut the one at Sourabaya is unsuitable. Captain Ross Smith favors seaplanes in preference to aeroplanes fo! a portion of the route, owing to the necessity of following the coast, and where suitable seaplane harbors exist, but where there is no good landing place for aeroplanes. ‘ Captain Ross Smith thinks that the danger of an aerial attack from Asia is very real. There would he no

need for ’planes to travel long distances. They colild simply be released from a parent aerodrome ship, to which they would return after their deadly work was accomplished.

BUSHED FOR THE night

JOURNEY CONTINUED NEXT DAY

t»re»9 Association—• Copyright, Australian and W.Z. Cable Association. (Received 9.(55 a.in.) Darwin, December 15. Owing to engine trouble Ross. Smith was forced to land in the bush, ivheie he spent the night, shortly after leaving Darwin. He proceeded south next day.