LITTLE HOPE FOR MRS PUTNAM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 149, 12 July 1937, Page 7

LITTLE HOPE FOR MRS PUTNAM

Lexington's 300 Avigtors Search To-day HUGE AREA COVERED • HONOLULU, July 10. Although holding little hope ior ,the rescue of Mrs. Earhart Putnam naval . fliers from the (Jolorado scanned the | Phoenix Isles, while the Lexington 1 carrying 300 aviators hurried for a last • chance survey of the South Pacific area. The natives at Hull Island rushed ' from their huts iearful and wonderiug when three scaplanes soared over and one landed in the lagoon at the island, causing thousands of birds to take wing and seriously handicapping the landing aviators. They were forced to wait half-an-hour for natives to paddle out in a acnoe. The white manager of the island, who was ,the occupant of the canoe, said ho was the oniy white inhabitant Of the island, on which only 100 natives lived. He said he had a radio, but was not aware of Mrs. Putnam 's flight. The Lexington is expected to reach and search the area on Monday. Naval authorities said they might nnleash the3 entire fleet of 62 'planes capable of covering 60,000 square iniles daily. With this armada it is expected tho search will be brought to a swift conclusion. fcJhore patrols from the Swan are en route to Oanton Island archipelagoes, the largest island. Naval officials said it has not been decided how long the Lexington will stay. Admiral Muriin has blocked out an area of 265,000 square miles to be covered. Theoretically, the Lexington's 'planes could scan the area in about four and a-half days. Officials said the Colorado must Etart back for Hawaii on Tuesday for luel. She was ordered to in .et and refuel thc Swan duripg the day and supply the three destroyer* convoying the Lexington. Fuel for the Itasca obtaincd earher from the Golorado is dccmed to be sufficient unlil July 18. The Swan does not need further fuel until July 20. The Lexington earries 10,000 extra gallons of petrol, but the total amount is not given. Earlier it was stated tho Lexington could keep its 'planes aloft i'or three days. Mr. Putnam has abandoned his vigil with the coastguard naval radio operators and has arranged to retnrn to his home at North Hollywood. He said he bas not given up hope. "1 i'eel there is nothing more I can do here," he said. "Mrs. Putnam 's mother is at my home nnd I feel I should be with her." The Itasca advised by radio that thc (Jolorado 's 'planes searehed the neighbourhood of Winslow reef, thence south over more than a seven-milo front for a distance of 50 miles. Tho Itasca is continuing the search south and east of Baker Island the minesweeper Swan continues in a south-easterly direction searchihg in the vicinity of Canton Island. It is estrmated that the naval searchers have already covered an area oi 140,000 square miles. Naval officials are cOnsidering tho theory of Mr. H. Gow, a copra plantation worker in tho South Seas, that the fliers may be found in the Gilbert Isles directly west of Howland. Mr. Gow «aid that the prevailing winds on tho route froin Ncw Guinea were 60utheast. If Mrs. Putnam was forced down at opa after overshooting Howlund Island the current would have carried her near the Gilbert group. Eadio expeits, who doubted tho authenticity of many of the messages purported to be from Mrs. Putnam, said the presont absence of messages was helping the hunt by eliminating conlusiop due to conflicting positions. Naval and aviation wireless experts are now convinced that Mrs. Putnam was driven off her course by winds, and nbt having a witsd-driffc instruraeil. j circled the Phoenix area and possibly ! landed there. The search to date has not yet touched the southern pcrtion o£|j this area, where, it is believed, ne the.] most likely place she will be found. The Colorado 's aeroplanes have uofcj sufficient range to reach the Gsirdne/, and Hull Isles which are i'urthest south from the Phoenix group. The Lexing--ton's 'planes are expected to traverse , these.