THE "AERO'S" OF THE ARAWA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1202, 10 August 1911, Page 5

THE "AERO'S" OF THE ARAWA.

■HOW THE* THING IS GROWING. In the long voyage between London and Wellington the itoyal mail steamer Araira, vfnich arrived here yesterday, was in constant touch with other vessels and stations, with the exception of about eight days. After leaving. Plymouth the vessel took press messages (troin Lizard Head) which were being transmitted- to Oapa Cod, Newfoundland. This was continued lor sev £ tral days. On tho last day-Mid Arawa •was 1280 miles away from tile transmitting stations. , Xho messages were posted in the saloon, antj the passengers were able to keep in touch with the Moroccan situation and other topics ot the day. A description was also sent of tho naval review held in connection with the Coronation iestivities.

On July 1 the operator was in communication with Tenenffe. i A message could not be transmitted as tho station at that part',was at the time undergoing preliminary tests. Tho Arawn was ono of tho first vessels to get into touch with tho new station. The steamer ijalmoral Castle wis "spoken" and "kept" for days, she being ahead of tho Arawa on her way to Capo Town. ' Immediately after leaving Capo Town the Arjwa got into touch with Durban, tho messages being sent for a distance of some 850 mjles.. Communication wasmaintained with Durban for tho greater part of a week and, at ono - time, more than a thousand niilos of ocean separated the vessel from Durban. Aftor "dropping Durban" nothing was picked up until _ July 29, when tho steamer Karoola, which was off Capo Naturaliste, 995 miles' away, was spoken. Tho Karoola was then bound to Albany from Fremantle. Messages passed between the vessels' for several days. On Jur* 30 tho Orient Co.'s R.M:3, Otway (Homeward bound from Australian port's) was spoken. Other vessels were also communicated with, theso including tho Ascanius, which was about 200 miles south of .Sydney. At this time tho Arawa was to the south-west of Tasmania,, and the message was sent across Tasmania, and over Bass Strait's to its destination,

The Hotel Australia, at 'Sydney, was communicated with from Hobart. On the run across the Tasman Sea to' Wellington the New Zealand Shipping CoraP, an; C s , s i e! "" e r Kuahine was "spoken" at the Bluff and Sydney, and It.MIS. Challenger at Auckland,was in constant communication with the Arawa. Right up to Wellington, Sydney was "held." Wellin"ton s station was heard on Sunday night ami communication established on 'tho following evening. This !* the first occasion on which tho Arawa has had wire-Jess-instruments, and they have proved most useful throughout the voyage