AUSTRALIAN FLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 December 1919, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN FLIGHT

SUCCESSFUL FLIERS. DETAILS OF EXPERIENCES. (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.; DARWIN, Dec. 10. After Ross-Smitli’s party passed the quarantine officer, the aviators were carried to the residence of the Governor of the gaol, where, replying to a brief speech of welcome, Ross-Smith said the success was mainly due to the mechanics, Bennett and Spiers, who worked tremendously hard. The machine flew by way of Italy, Egypt, India and Burma. From Singapore the route ran through Java, touching at Surabaya to Anatifo in Timor, the last stopping place, five hundred miles from Darwin, and the aeroplane left shortly after half

past eight this morning, covering the flight in about seven hours. A good deal of bad weather was encountered on tiie way early in tho flight, and the machine had to land at Pisa on a ground

covered with about eighteen inches of water. Storms later were usually avoided by rising above them. At Akyab, the Vickers-Vimy overtook l’oulet, who was flying, in what one of the aviators described as a “rotten old

Ijus.” They left about the same time as

Ponlet next morning, but beat him by an hour. Poulet took this like a good sport, and the next day both machines got under weigh for Bangkok. A storm encountered seemed to be too much for Poulet. They saw him no more. Tiie Y ickers-Vimy had its worst time at Surabaya. It landed on some re-claim-ed ground, and was nearly bogged, going right down on one side, till one wing was nearly in t-hc mud. Next morning it threatened to stick fast, but about two hundred coolies set to work and covered tiie area three hundred yards long with bamboo matting, and enabled the machine to get a run and rise. Thef.eroplane was flying very light during tiie last part of the voyage, as at Singapore the aviators jettisoned the photo- j graphie outfit and everything else that could be spared.

“ Not on your life,” said Ross-Smith, when asked if he had a wireless outfit. It weights 150 pounds and would not lie worth it unless we had the means of giving an absolutely accurate position. What would be, the use of sending S.O. S. calls and wasting people’s time looking for us.”

One of tiie aviators expressed the opinion that tiie disaster which overtook Ross and Douglas was due to having the machine overhauled. Tiie aviators paid n tribute to the remarkable kindness and hospitality of Dutch residents of the places stopped at. With tiie exception of a few reserves, such' as bully beef, the aviators carried no food, and depended on securing it'at the stopping places. Their last meal before leaving for Australia was a,few sandwiches given them before they left Timor. The weather in the Netherlands Indies was very bad, very hot and close, except when they were actually flying well above tho earth, and when there were occasional storms.

One of tiie mechanics summed -up his views of the journey as a whole by saying that he would not do it again for £IOO,OOO.

DARYVIN’vS WELCOME. DARWIN, Dec. 11

Tiie aviators are guests of the Administrator of the Territory during their stay. Ross-Smith speaking at the welcome dinner, expressed gratification at the winning of the race. The Mayor declared that the visitors had made Darwin “the front door,’.’ not “the back door” of Australia. The gentlemen who had arrived from the clouds had initiated a great development in the Territory. At the close of the dinner a lady kissed the aviators all round.

One of the; airmen, interviewed, said that much trouble was caused through having only „one machine and using it throughout. Passing through such varying climates caused stresses, and strains, and very heavy work in adjustment. Stays and parts expanded and contracted, and had to be constantly altered. The mechanics worked well into the night, and had, to start again at 4 o’clock in the morning. Much of the success of the voyage was due to Ross-Smith and his companions having previously surveyed the most difficult part of the route through the islands between Australia and India. One of the aviators stated that lie believed . that when the route is properly mapped out, with regular landing grounds, stations and relays of machines it will be utilised for commercial purposes. He understood that the. Vickers people had the matter in hand.

• Besides tlie £IO,OOO prize money pro- ! vided by the Commonwealth Governj inent, £IOOO in prizes is offered by. the | Kodak Company for a series of photo- ! graphs en route, £SOO each by the Svd- ! uey “Sun" and the'Melbourne “Herald,” and £IOO trophy by a member of Sydney Tatersalls Club for the first flyer I to land. ° 0 i Tlie “ Sun ” states that owing to t _ congested state of the telegraph j wires from Darwin, Ross-Smtih’s exclusive story is delayed ..