ATLANTIC CROSSED

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 85, 26 June 1930, Page 5

ATLANTIC CROSSED

U6SFORD SMITH'S SUCCESS IN HEAVY FOC. NOTHING COULD BE SEEN. (United P.A. Electric Telegraph, Copyright). j (fiec&Tved 9.15 a.m.} HARBOUR GRACE, June 23.

After circling the town several times in a heavy fog, the southam Cross landed easily on the aviation field coming to rest on the ground without any difhcutly.

Having landed here a. few minutes before six o'clock- New York time, the Southern Cross had! covered 2190 miles after thirty-one hours twentyeighi minutes in the air. Twenty hours o'f flying were spenf passing through fog. Strong head wih<i* botherer? the fliers find 1 for thei greater nart of the journey nothing was visible save two stars sighted early last ninrht. Heavy clouds obsoured the skv and the shins with which the aviators communicator!! were invisible, because of clouds and' fog. '

Whan about five hundred miles off Newfoundland, the compass began to fail. They believe thereafter they flew in circles for hours the only guidance being the Cape Race signals.

When daylight broke they discovered! they were about a hundred miles from the Newfoundland coast. Without any knowledge of their position ihey headed for land with only occasional glimpses! of headlands.

PASSED HARBOUR GRACE. They actually passed Harbour Grace without seeing it. They then flew westward for an hour, and 1 returning .with hope almost abandoned / they sighted the port and descended. The Southern Cross landed on the same field as that from which Haw-

ker hopped! off. Kingsford Smith commenting on the flight sajd they would never have reached Harbour Grace but for the wonderful radio, without which they would never have got out of the fog. fie 'added that they have had to fly about waiting for visibility to improve and with only a few gallons in the petrol tank, he preferred not to think what might have happened under those circumstances. FLIGHT TO NEW YORK. Press Association —Copyright. (Received 9.36 a.m.) HARBOUR GRACE, June 25. .The Southern Cross will leave at daybreak ori Thursday for New York. Kingsford Smith said the shortage of gasolene wajs responsible for his failure to reach the United States. Tbey would fly to San Francisco after reaching New York, thereby completing the round-the-world fli|ht. (Received 935 a.m.) NEW YORK, June 25. Mr Kimball, the meteorologist,, stated the Southern Cross should have fairly good weather fcr the flight to New York after clearing th e fog in proximity of Newfoundland. He added there are westerly winds off Halifax and cloudiness, and south-west winds off Nantucket, but the|se should not prove a serious i: :, :.drance.

I< is estimated the flight whic'i ia of more than twelve hundred statute miles should, however, consume only twelve hours. NEW YORK, June 24. The steamer Transylvania reported that she worked with the compass the station at Chebucto Head, Nova Scotia, giving the bearing to tho Southern Cross, which apparently had begun to bear southwards from Cape Jfcace. , The naval radio stf.tion at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, received a radio at 12.15 a.m., stating that the Southern Cross had passed over Cape Eace. It ■was then obvious that the 'plane had wandered blindly in the fog for a long time, for approximately five hours after they should have passed Cape "ace they radioed the station there that they were "due east of Cape Eace." : The warships Pennsylvania and Minnesota apparently were in close communication" with the 'plane, turning their searchlights towards the sky in an endeavour to guide the Southern Cross, which later seemed to havo its bearings although it. did not report them closely. The New York Times resumed communication wi'h the Southern Cross and received the message: "Very bad fog all night. Trouble with compass held us up quite a lot. Afraid we will have to land at Newfoundland or Nova Scotia for potrol after all. Sorry wo have to do this, but the delay was enormous. Will advise which place later.'' Capo Eace radioed at 4.30 a.m.: *' Southern Cross is now bound for Harbour Grace, Newfoundland." A message from Harbour Grace Stated that tho Southern Cross landed at 5.22 a.m. Report of Landing Denied. The Associated Press announced that the Southern Cross had landed at Mo a.m. This report was based on a statement by the Corporation and Glouceste Massachusetts coastguard radio station, but was not confirmed. The Halifax

cable station superintendent questions the accuracy of the report and states that the Southern Cross was heard in the air at (5.22 .this morning. The Bay Eoberts Newfoundland Western Union cable station reported that the Southern Cross was flying overhead looking for Harbour Grace. The 'plane wirelessed that it could not find Harbour Grace field, which was under tog, and hoped they would send a 'plane up.

Later the New York Times radio station heard the Southern Cross calling Louisbourg radio station: "Please can you do something to guide us to the field Can you send a machine up quickly above the fog? Please ring Harbour Grace field and tell them to send a machine above the fog." Urgent Signal A still later message states that with increasing urgency the Southern Cross sent out a CQ signal asking all radio ■stations to pick up and transmit a message to Harbour Grace for a 'plane to bo sent for their guidance. The plane had obviously wandered for three hours in a wide circle in an ellort to get its bearings, and this it is believed, had added to the exhaustion of the fuel, necessitating a descent in Newfoundland. Conflicting Reports. Tho New York Times received a message from the Southern Cross at 5.5 a.m. requesting the following to be cabled urgently to England:—'Stan-

nage, Sproxton, Buckminster. Arrived Newfoundland, landed safely. Love, John." This is interpreted a s Stannage's. cles'iTe to reassure his family although the 'plane was then still in the air.

A Sydney message reports that Kingsford Smith's aged parents residing at the Sydney suburb of Longueviile, heard the news of Smith's safe landing at Harbour Grace at about 'J p.m. Sydney time. They were overjoyed at tho news.