AUSTRALIA BY AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1919, Page 5

AUSTRALIA BY AIR

MATTHEWS' TRIP TO

COLOGNE.

NEXT STOP,

r «iy Telegraph.—Preis Aun.—Copyright. London, Oct. 25. The Air Ministry's telegram has allaytd anxiety in London concerning Captain Matthews and Sergeant Kav. It was evidently decided that the Paris-Lyons-Frejus route was not as direct as the line across Germany. Matthews landed at Marquise on Tuesday afternoon and at Cologne the following, day. Plying over enemy countries is forbidden, but apparently an exception was made in favor of the England to Australia flyers. Matthews intends to follow the route across Germany and Austria and thence to Malta and Egypt. There may thus be considerable periods without news of Ms progress.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

Mr. Keith Murdoch (who was one of the Australian war correspondents) writes: Captain Matthews' appearance at Cologne astonished the officials. He kept the secret well, but his closest friends expected that he intended to defy the international convention which provides against flying over enemy tryMr. Sopwith, interviewed, says the whole thing is a mystery. He ventures the theory that Matthews got lost in the fog or over rugged country and suddenly found himself at Cologne. As a matter of fact, however, the eastern route saves nearly a thousand miles. There is no news regarding Matthews' departure from Cologne, but the authorities probably found Matthews' sporting plea irresistible and winked the eye. He is, doubtless, by now well down towards Turkey. OTHER COMPETITORS. Dealing with the different competitors, Mr. Murdoch says that three parties, Colonel Douglas, Captain Wilkins and Captain Ross Smith, were to leave on successive days at the end of the week | if the weather was favorable. Wilkins' effort is largely private, but Douglas and Ross Smith are backed by great aeroplane companies and equipped with every scientific aid and the newest and most modern machines. A grim reminder of the dangers of the journey comes in the statement that eleven British aviators have met their death already while trying to fly to Egypt. The route is now called the blazing trail, owing to the number of disasters. Colonel Henderson, ex wing-commander, that only thirty per cent out of three full squadrons of Handley-Page machines ordered to fly to Egypt reached their destinations. The others were burned or broke down owing to the severity of the trial Besides the difficulties of the route, there are troubles with rubber connections which perish, and other parts of the machines get out of order owing to the severe weather conditions. Captain Wilkins' crew—he is the navigator, with Lieutenants Val Rendle and Williams as pilots and Lieutenant Potts pis engineer—is to leave in the Black-burn-Kangaroo 'plane. A syndicate composing the crew bought the machine and engine, and they have provided the spare parts and supplies along the route. Colonel Douglas and Lieutenant Ross, who will use an Alliance machine, are jfully backed by that company. Captain Ross Smith is negotiating witr. the Viekers-Vimy Co. (one of whose 'planes crossed the Atlantic) with the {dea of one of their machines getting away early in November. The insurance companies think that the death of the competitors in the flight from Britain to Australia is more likelv than broken bones, but are 'not giving Song odds either to Wilkins or his crew Blackburn-Kangaroo), who are paying premiums of 10 per cent, in case of death, :-<3. per cent, for total disability, and 20 per cent for damage to or loss of their taachine or engines. Other crews could Hot secure themselves under 45 per cent pgainst the loss of their aeroplanes.