QUICK TRAVEVLLING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 September 1924, Page 13

QUICK TRAVEVLLING.

LAND AND WATER STILL SWIF.T-

EST METHODS.

Whatover the accomplishments of the round-the-world flight by airplane, it will not see a new record for speed in encompassing the globe (declares the New York Times). Already more than twice as much time has elapsed since the first of the army ’planes left Clover Field, Santa Monica, California, as the holder of the world record took for his 21,166-mile journey; and the air squadron is still far from home. John Henry Hears may rest at peace, since it is he who holds the record. Time-honoured, indeed, is the sport of racing for a record in circumnavigation of the globe. Magellan, starting the game all unwittingly more than 400 years ago, established . the first record in his three year’s journey. No one succeeded in disputing his title for more than 350 years. Then Captain W. D. Seymour, in 1876, made the trip in 117 days. Between the two record-breaking circumnavigators came Phileas Fogg, themythical .hero of Jules Verne’s story. In the world of make-believe he encompassed the globe in 80 days in 1872. But even his record was broken when, in 1889, Nellie Bly, a new York newspaper reporter, completed the journey in 72 days 6 hours 11 minutes and, 14 seconds. In the following year George Francis Train substituted for Miss Ely’s record one of 67 days 12 hours and 3 minutes.

Charles Fitzmorris, in 1901, bettered this by almost a week; and two years afterward Henry Frederick cut the world’s record to 54 days 7 hours and 20 minutes. Colonel Burnley Campbell in 1907 took a little more than 40 days for the trip, and in 1911 Andre Jaeger-Schmidt, a Parisian journalist, made it in a few hours less. Mr Mears, of the New York Sun, set out to beat this record in 1913, and established the present record of 33 days 21 hours 35 minutes and 4-5 second. He covered an average of 587 miles a day and of 24£ miles every hour. These journeys, with the exception of Magellan’s expedition, have been accomplished by lightning changes from boat to train and train to boat.

Mr Mears’ record seems likely to stand for some time to come.