BREMEN ICE-BOUND

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1928, Page 9

BREMEN ICE-BOUND

EFFORT TO REACH FLIERS COMMUNICATION BY PLANE STORMS RAGING UNABATED PUBLIC INTEREST GROWING By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. Received April 17, 7.55 p.m. A. and N.Z, New York, April 17. The weather and the isolated position Of Greenly Island and the scarcity of means of securing wireless or telegraphic communication with that part of Canada have apparently defeated much of the vaunted American efficiency in handling an emergency. News about the Bremen, its fliers, and the prospects of their return to civilisation continues to be most fragmentary in character. The interest increases hourly, but efforts to handle the eituation seem both spasmodic and ineffective. It is impossible to say from any information here whether repairs can be made to the Bremen at Greenly or even if equipment could 'be brought to Greenly, due to the fact that the special construction of the Bremen type of aeroplane is not definitely known. It is believed likely that Commandant Fitzmauriee will continue to Murray Bay, and thence to Quebec and to civilisation, because if this is his intent the * weather conditions are such that they may be kept for days in the little village of Napashquan with its little cluster of huts and its fifteen inhabitants. There is no explanation available for Commandant Fitzmaurice’s anxiety to deliver Mr. Cosgrave’s letter to President Coolidge without waiting for his companions. One huhdred newspaper men and as many photographers have been vainly trying to reach Greenly Island, but as yet no one has been able to transmit a direct word from the fliers giving anything like a concise description of their amazing experiences. It may be a week yet, although it is hoped that the task ean be accomplished much sooner, before the world can know all it wishes to know concerning the Bremen’s sensational hop.

FITZMAURICE CAUSES DISMAY

The New York World states that the news that Commandant Fitzmauriee had left his German companions and was enming to New York before them was greeted with incredulity and dismay, particularly among those having in hand plans for their reception. It had been expected that they would come together io receive the honour and plaudits the people of New York were preparing for them. The Mayor, Mr. Walker, telegraphed to Commandant Fitzmauriee the expectation and hope that tne ratter would .wait his companions in Canada before proceeding to New York. The North German Lloyd Company received a wireless from Baron von Huenfeldt stating: ‘•Well and hope to eee you soon.” • Reports received here from Greenly Island state that the fliers when the Bremen approached the island mistook the lighthouse for the mast of a ship of the Newfoundland sealing fleet. Closer examination, however, revealed its actual nature. A report from Greenly states that three men have arrived in a small boat Jrom the mainland. i The ice-breaker Montcalm is making little or no progress, heavy iee and a eontinuing storm holding the vessel back. The plane carrying Com. Fitzmauriee, it is now reported, had to make a forced landing at Natashquan (QuebesJ due to bad weather. • The Irish Minister, Mr. Smiddy, has announced that the flier would proceed to Quebec as soon as possible. Mr. Smiddv would meet him in Montreal, both proceeding thence direct to Washington for the presentation of the letter from Mr. Oosgrave to President Coolidge. They hope to arrive in Washington at the end of the' week.

ORDERS FOR JUNKER PLANES. One of the first results of the Bremen flight is that American Airway Tours, Incorporated, has opened negotiations with Junker’s works at Dessau for the Importation of Junker planes, which will be used in the proposed air tour of the United States, which it is believed will be both a practical advancement of native and commercial aviation and a eementer of German-Ameri-ean aviation interests. The German fliers’ remaining at Greenly is interpreted as reaffirming their determination to repair the Bremen and continue by her to New York. It is still believed, however, that insurmountable difficulties surround the efforts to fit the aeroplane to continue her flight owing to the necessity to use substitute parts and special benzol fuel, both of which are not available. The New York Tribune published a despatch said to have been obtained by long distance telephone and telegraph from Natashquan, describing Commandant Fitzmaurice’s arrival and welcome by the Mayor in the patois French and Commandant Fitzmaurice’s remark: ‘ No tribute, even in New York, which was si’.r destination, could touch me more tlu.'.i this accorded me by these humble, isolated people. I shall remember and cherish it to the last day of my life.” He was greeted by the village priest, with whom he went to the loeal church, after which he took tea at the Mayor's house. A message received by the Government telegraph service at Ottawa states that the Montcalm, according to the latest report, has broken away from the ice and is within 30 miles of Greenly Island. It is now intended to take the Bremen to Quebec on the steamer »nd not to fly it out as was planned earlier. The airman Clarke, in the City .of Quebec, and Commandant Fitzmauriee, will leave Natashquan at eight o’clock on Tuesday morning on the second stage of his flight from Greenly Island, and is expected to land at Murray Bay, Quebec, three hours later. enthusiasm shown in Germany. NEWSPAPERS FEATLRE FLIERS. Received April 17. 7.30 p.m. A and N.Z. Berlin, April 17. The newspapers give prominence to a thrilling episode in Pilot Koehl’s «artme career. He was le«te of a boinb-

ing squadron on the Western front. Single-handed he blew up an ammunition dump, but later was obliged .to descend eight miles from Paris owing to the machine being damaged by antiaircrift gunfire. He managed to destroy the machine, however, and to avoid those hurrying to the scene. For three days he made his way through hostile country pretending he was an American airman. He was then arrested by a British officer but escaped in a motor-car he stole. President Hindenburg has received a message from Pilot Kochi and Baron von Huenefeld stating: “With Gods help we achieved the first cast to west Atlantic flight in a German aeroplane. We made an intermediate landing at the Greenly Island. Accept our respectful greeting in which our Irish comrade, Commandant Fitzmauriee, joins.”

MISS JUNKERS TO THE RESCUE. STORMS HINDER COMMUNICATIONS A. and N.Z. New York, April IC. Miss Junkers, who left for Montreal in the sister ship of the Bremen, accompanied by her brother Erhardt, Fred Melchoir, chief pilot of tne Junkers Company in America and a mechanic, has arrived. They will await word from Greenly Island. They went to study more closely the Bremen's situation, but there was little possibility of their going on to Greenly Island. Mjss Junkers said: “We will carry 100 gallons of benzol for the Bremen. Our principal purpose is to have Fl 3, the sister ship) as close to the Bremen as possible, so that any part needed can be sent to Greenly Island. That applies particularly to the propcllor now being used on Fl 3, which is the only one we seem to be able to locate. This would servo efficiently on the Bremen. ’ A dispatch from Seven Island, Quebec, stated that one of the heaviest snow storms of the season is still raging over Greenly Island, but has nov prevented the flyers from attempting to repair the ’plane. It is also stated that communications with Greenly Island are becoming more and more difficult because the terrific storm has affected the telegraph lines running through Labrador. Whatever stages the repairs to the Bremen have reached it is clear that any attempt at present to resume the flight will be nothing short of suicide. A message from Murray Bay, Quebec, states that Schiller was the pilot who left Greenly Island with Major Fitzmaurice in a Fairchild 'plane sent by the Canadian Government. •< They started in adverse weather conditions, but with the forecast that the weather oat at sea would be more favourable. . It was planned to proceed either to Farther Point or to Quebec, depending on the weather encountered.

In the meantime Roy Brown, the Canadian airman who killed the famous German ace Von Richtofen, !e preparing to leave for Greenly Island in a four-seater 'plane. It is generally considered that one of the most important aspects of the flight is that it solves the mystery why previous attempts to fly westward ended fatally. It is believed that it is established beyond doubt that the other ’planes were forced down at sea afte" exhausting their fuel in fighting gales which reduced both their cruising speed and their flying life. This is believed to be proved conclusively by the fact that the Bremen exhausted her last drop of fuel after flying 2125 miles in 34 hours. Received April 17. 11.55 p.m. A. and N.Z. New York, April 17. A later report states that Commandant Fitzmaurice’s flight to Quebec is made to select repair parts for the. Bremen. Baron Huenefelt is reported to have stated that the parte can be brought to Greenly easily, and that the delay will not be iong. Commandant Fitzmauriee is reported to plan to wait at Quebec for his companions, while Schiller will return to Greenly with the spare parts from the New York Junker ’plane