SCOTLAND TO AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1930, Page 7

SCOTLAND TO AUSTRALIA

DARING MOTOR-BOAT TRIP. . • YOUNG ENGLISHMAN’S PLAN, From Scotland to Australia and back In a motor-boat, a distance of 20,000 miles. Thia is the plan of Mr. S. J. Walker, of Birmingham; England,’ who lias been inspired by the. flight of. Miso Amy Johnson. Hie object is to prove the reliability of a type of erigind of British make that runs on British-pro-.. duced fuel, paraffin. ■ ■ ■ ■ : Mr. Walker was born at'-Oldbury, and was educated at . West - Bromwich. ? Ha went to sea, and in the mercantile marine attained the position of senior quartermaster. He sailed in all kind* of . craft—Orient Line mail steamers, British tankers arid tramps. ’ He emigrated tp Australia, where ho was associated with garage management and had opportunities for. pursuing his bent for motor-boats;' in fact, at one time lie held a speed record. He returned to England in November, 1028, and sincei’.theii studying navigation and all ; those essential elements' for ths .successful.completion of. an enterprisff' on which? he ;hae set. his heart. ' ■■■.■' At present, he says, .Australia is absolutely inundated with American products, and he sees great possibilities in proving the reliability of - the petrol-paraffin. engine as a marine unit. The British have not: been given.-a “fair go” so far, he argues, .and ho wants to secure an open market for the cheaper product,, which..will enable the working man to have a small motor-boat, with all the interest of the water, just as the motorist enjoys the open road. v The boat will be built at. Glasgow and will be 38ft. x Bft., and the engine, which will also be supplied by a firm of will be 15.22 b.h.p., and will be an all-round .standard product in order to prove the reliability of •British manufacture. The frail craft will draw but two feet of water, the only deviation from standard pattern being in regard to the oil tanks. -It will be realised that for such a long “hop,” as that from Aden to Boiiibay—l,6s4 miles—there will have to be special provision in this, regard. Mr. Walker’s companion will be Mr, Edward ’ Howell, of 69 Albert Road, Leyton, London, a sea-faring man and an old , friend. •_ lt : is possible . that a third person will be taken aboard —a youth, provided that the necessary staying powers can be assured. It will be realised that to tackle a jo-b of thia . nature the powers ' of. endurance and resistance to fatigue of those in thaf’ boat will be tested very "fully.

To some extent it is intended to follow the route taken by Miss' Amy . Johnson in her flight. The will i be made from Glasgow, with possibly a call at London, and then on to' Gibraltar, on through the seaports until Port Darwin is reached. Then an interesting itinerary is mapped out. Tho fuel capacity of the boat is 4G® gallons, and for, the biggest “hop” it is computed that 280. to 350 gallons will be required. ■ . . Mr. Walker has made the trip in other ways. It usually occupies three months and seven days by mail steam- . er. He docs, not hazard a guess, as to how long he will be on “out and home” voyage. But of his ability to do it he has not the least doubt. •• ; - :

The distance record has been held by* the United States for more than 18 years. Nothing like the exploit which Mr. Walker is to attempt has ever been tried. He is a young man of 26 with the agility of a follower of th© sea, and the eyes of an explorer. He lays no claim to being heroic and he does not want his- enterprise to bo regarded as a hazardous exploit. He claims that it is scientifically planned from A to Z, and he has every confidence that it will bring distinction to Birmingham and its environs. Personal ambitions are secondary to Mr. Walker's burning enthusiasm to prove the reliability of a British engine running on British fuel. , Mr. Walker will have the sincerest wishes for a successful voyage from all men who “go down to the sea in ships.” The whole circumstances of the trip appeal to a wide public which loves adventure and appreciates it in others*