THE AIR RACE TO AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 23, 22 October 1919, Page 7

THE AIR RACE TO AUSTRALIA

MATTHEWS'S START DELAYED

PRtSPECTS REVIEWED

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, October 20. Reports fTom the Continent of extensive areas of fog decided Captain Matthews (o postpone his start. The prevailing fog over London and the South of England would not hare deferred him, hut he thought it unwise fo rislc.uncertainty in landing. He had planned fo reach Cologne in the first stage. He intends to make the most of the first day's flight by covering a substantial distance; and, thcroforo, he decided at midday to wait till to-morrow, and is determined to start if the 9 o'clock Continental weather report is favourable. A crowd of friends gathered at the aerodrome at Tfounslow. Captain Matthews :(rd his mechanic. Sergeant JCay, submitted to many photographers after thev had completed the last details of packing. The merhine was tuned to the last moment, the mechanics having put the fiirehing touches to it 011 the previous nisrlit.

Hawker intended to fly from a neighbouring nemd'onie to escort Matthews 11 few inile«. When he learned of the postponement of' the flight, Hawker flew Matthew*'® machine through a series of topk and says the ensrino is even more perfect than the s'milar one -he used iu the trans-Atlantic flight, and that a pilot living such a machine must stand, a good cli a nc?.

Matthews, asked whether he is. confident h? will succeed, replied: "No: but T'm hopeful. It is impossible to b« confident in the face of snrh a task, bint I am satisfied that nobody could have a better machine for the attempt.". He .had just'arrived from a farewell visit to his mother at Stranraer, and snid: "I hon« soon to reach my second home in Adelaide."

Serceant Kay wa.o disar>nointed at the postponement, bcause to-d.iv is his birthday. ITd embarked from An'trelin for the front on his b'l'thday. Fe '">d never tlioiurht of undertaking the flight, but while awi'ifin" a repatriation steamer in camp at Hurdcote he was "nproached by two Australian offers, whn had failed to secure an aeroolane, and thus got into tench with Matthews.

Sergeant Kay, who was an entrine expert in Ballarat, considers that Matthews'* knowledge of .navigation and lilt own experience of engines. and both shnrin" the fly'tii' by dimus n f iliml controls. they have the best poso'ble chance. The human factor is reliable, and the only unknown quantity is the engine's powers of endurance unil n r varying conditions, which are «'"'h tint a prcl'minarv test is impossible. F,v«ry possible safeguard has bcii provided, including sn?re emrinc parts, and \i snare propeller, yh'cli is hwh°d inside the pinchine. The ful'y loaded aeroobine weighs 5000 pounds fhiearlv 21 tons!. The iiia.chine has the in'ornational registration siirn in lani» Wack letters on' the up"nr an'! lower wings. Exn"rts fnar C'"t Poulet's air-cmled enrnes will nossiblv r-n c e delay wh«n flyiivr in the fron'os. and the opinion that Matth»ws's water-ceoled enein" will Tivo a Wt"" chanc": but !?enorally it is consid«i""d that the d'fficull;es eve a'cmosl: ii'*Tmountablo within the alloletd time.—Aus.-N.Z. Cnble Assn. FOTTLKT'R PIWGHERS. (flee. October ?1. 5.5 n.111.) ■ London, October 20. Poulet. has left Naples for Salonika.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AIRCRAFT FOR CHINA BIG AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISE. (R«c. October 21, 5.5 p.m.) New York, October 20.. The New York "World's" Washington correspondent 16arns that a British corporation has Becured a contract to supply extensive o.ttantities of aeroplanes and hnnsers, mid to construct aircraft works for the Chinese Government. The corporation will float bonds to the amount of 15,000,000 dollars (JI9,000,000).--Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn..