BOSS-SMITH ARRIVES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16612, 11 December 1919, Page 2

BOSS-SMITH ARRIVES.

TRIUMPHANT LANDING.

AFTER FLIGHT FROM ENGLAND. IN TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS, By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. PORT DARWIN, Dec. 10. Captain Ross-Smith arrived at 3.40 o’clock this afternoon. Captain Ross-Suiith’s landing was spectacular. Ho received a tremendous welcome. Tho Mayor presented an address on behalf of the citizens. Tho aviator, in replying, said: “I hoped to make the journey in thirty days, and 1 am proud to have .accomplished it in twenty-eight.” Despite the influenza regulations to tho contrary, the crowd rushed the aviators, anti carried them shoulder high from the ground. Owing to a citizens’ banquet tonight, the Sun’s story is not available till to-morrow.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. MELBOURNE, Dec. 10. A shoal of congratulatory telegams has been dispatched to Captain RossSmith on the completion of his great achievement. The Defence Department has approved the use of Flomington raceconr.se as a landing ground. Mr. Hughes refused a request to permit Captain Ross-Smith to include Sydney in his aerial itinerary. Ho has cabled to Captain RossSmith, suggesting tho presentation of the machine to the Australian War Museum.

THE LAST STAGES. SIGHTING OP THE AEROPLANE. A BRILLIANT LANDING. (Received Dec. 11, 9.25 a.m.) DARWIN, Dec.. 10. Captain Ross-Sinith crossed the coast of Australia at 3.20 this afternoon and, less than half an hour later, landed on Australian soil at Fannie Bay aerodrome, and the flight from London to Australia was' over.

Tho aviators have still to cross the Continent, but that is a minor matter after crossing parts of three continents andi of two oceans. Tho actual flying time from London to Darwin was 121 hours and the average speed about 85 miles hourly. _ Darwin was "on the tiptoe of expectation all day. The first actual nows that the aviators had begun the last stage of their journey was given by a wireless message from Koepang, in Timor, stating that flic aviators had spent the night, in Timor and were then leaving for Darwin At 1 o’clock the warship Sydney sighted the machine flying strongly ISO miles from Darwin. As soon as the news wont round the crowds went to tho landing ground, where everything was in readiness. The pilot look for his landmark tho lighthouse at Point Charles, 16 miles from Darwin, and those on board sighted it when 40 miles away and, flying at 6000 feet, the gigantic aeroplane came straight for the aerodrome, gradually coining down to about 1000 feet. Tho white guiding mark in the centre was pi eked out nearly 20 miles away and the landing was perfect. Tho machine flow straight over the ground with one. of the pilots waving his hand to tho crowd below and then circled round and swooped down like a settling bird. A short run and tho lung journey was finished and the Commonwealth prize won. Before Ross-Sinith, neat, clean-shaved and with uniform spio and span, was allowed to leave the machine and shake hands with Lieut. Fysh, who welcomed him on behalf of the Defence Dopnrt-

aent, ho had to be examined hy the narantine officer. After they had passed the quarantine fficer the ayiators were carried to the csidence of the governor of the gaol, rhere, replying to a brief speech of welome, Ross-Smith said their success was uainly due to the mechanics, Bennett and Shiers, who had worked tremendausly hard. The machine flew by way of Italy, Egypt, India and Burma to Bangkok, -hen to Singapore. From Singapore the route ran through Java, touching at Sourabaya, to Anatofo in Timor. The last stopping place was 600 miles from Darwin, and the aeroplane left short]}’ after 8.30 this morning, covering the flight in about seven hours.

BAD WEATHER ON JOURNEY. A good deal of bad weather was encountered on the way. Early in the flight the machine had to land at Pisa, on a ground covered about 18 inches in water. Storms later were usually avoided hy rising above them. MEETING WITH POULET. At Akyah the Vickers-Vimy overtook Poulet, who was flying what one of the aviators described ns a “rotten old bus.” They left about the same time as Poulet next morning, but beat him by an hour, i Poulet took this like a good sport, and' next day both machines got under way for Bangkok. A storm was encountered which seemed to ho too much for Poulet; as they saw him no more. A BAD LANDING. Tho Vickers-Vimy had its worst time at Sourabaya. It landed on some reclaimed ground and was nearly bogged, going light down on ono side till one wing was nearly in the mud. Next morning it threatened to stick fast, but 280 coolies sot to work and covered an area 300 yards long with bamboo matting, which enabled the machine to get a run and rise. The aeroplane was flying very light during the last part of the voyage, as at Singapore the aviators jettisoned their photographic outfit and everything else that could' be spared.

NO WIRELESS OUTFIT. “Not on your life," said Ross-Sinith, when asked if ho had a wireless outfit. “It weighs 1501 b., and it would not be worth it unless we had means of giving an absolutely accurate position. What would be the use of sending a S.O.S. call and wasting people’s time Jftoking for us?” One of the aviators expressed the opinion 'that the disaster which overtook Ross and Douglas was due to having tho machine overloaded. KINDNESS OF THE DUTCH. The aviators paid a tribute to the remarkable kindness and hospitality of tho Dutch residents of the places stopped at. With tho exception of a few reserves, such as a tin of bully beef, tho aviators carried no food, and depended on securing it at the stopping places. Their last meal before reacting Australia was a few sandwiches given them before they left Timor. Tho weather in tho Netherlands Indies was very, bad, very hot and dose, except when they wore actually flying well above the earth, and with occasional storms. One of the mechanics summed up his views of the journey as a whole by saying that ho would not do it again for £loo,ooo.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

[Captain Ross-Smith, who is flying a Vickers-Vimy machine, left London on November 12, at 9.15 a.m. He is ac-1 companied by his brother and two mechanics. He wins the Australian Government’s prize of £IO,OOO for tho first Australian airman to fly from Britain to Australia.] GREAT INTEREST IN ENGLAND. GENERAL SYKES’ TRIBUTE.

(Received Dec. 11, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 10. The keenest interest is shown and warm newspaper tributes are accorded the accomplishment of the flight. General Sykes, interviewed, described it as a brilliant and wonderful pioneer undertaking and complimented the Australian Government on initiating the en-terprise.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, h PODLET AGAIN DELATED. (Received Dec. 11, 8.5 a.m.) ALLAHABAD, Dec. 10. Poulot left Mouhnein for Bangkok at 0 o’clock on Tuesday. He encountered fog in crossing the Siamese hills and broke a propeller blade after four hours. He returned to Moulmein, where he expects to remain for four days.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CAPTAIN WILKINS IN CRETE. LONDON, Dec. 9. The Kangaroo’s Snda Bay was due to the breaking of the main return oil pipe on the port engine. The return was accomplished on the starboard engine, notwithstanding the strain in the previous 627 miles flight from Taranto to Suda Bay.