NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1920, Page 4

NEWS BY MAIL.

AEROPLANE “RUNG UP.” , LONDON,. Aug. 25. For the first time, a city, man; has rung, up and spoken on an ordinary telephone to a man in an aeroplane who was on his way. to Paris. Sitting in his office ,in Billiter street, E.C., , Mi Samuel Instone, of the- shipping, firm of S. Instone and Co,, “called up” Mr Chattaway, the pilot of the. VickersVimy machine of the Instone Air Lino, an 4 gave him some urgent instructions which had been made necessary by the situation (of the coal supply, at Marseilles duo to a strike in Cardiff. It was in no way an experiment. Mr Ohattaway had already left Croydon on his. way across the Channel. Mr Instone rang r up. the Air Ministry, and asked if they could help him,, and within a few minutes he was connected with Croydon Aerodrome, who switched the line through to .the Air Ministry’s wireless installation'.' The operator there did the rest. “UNCANNY.” • ,f As soon as I was connected,” said Mr Instone, “I just called out; , ‘Vimy —Yimy ; Instone—Vimy; is Chattaway there ?’ . j “After repeating, this once or twico the reply came: ‘lnstone—Vimy; Instone—Vimy ; Chattaway speaking; who is that?’ j

“It was the most uncanny experience I have ever had. An American who was sitting in my ofiice at the time could not believe it. It is simply amazing to think that I have spoken from the City to a man 40 miles away in the air.

“Except for one or two disturbances due to the atmospherical conditions I heard everything perfectly, including the whirring of the propeller. Mr Chattaway had no idea that I would ring him up i>y this method, and lie was just as. surprised to hear my voice as I was to hear his.

“We carried on quite a long conversation, and Mr Clmttaway, who told me lie had just passed over Folkestone, read out a paragraph from a newspaper. “Curiously enough we were cut off during the conversation by the ordinary telephone exchange, and when, the operator asked me to whom I uas speaking and I told her, she must have thought that a madman was on the line. Wo were soon connected again, however.”

VICTIM STOPS A LYNCHING. TORONTO, /ug. 20

David McNeil, committed for trial on a .charge of murdering a 5-year-okl gill saved his life from lynching at the hands of a mob at Tliorold, Ontario, by appealing to the British sense of fair play. _ . Immediately after the court hearing, the mob, led by the dead girl’s father, rushed after the prisoner and his guards. When the latter took refuge in the town hall the mob set it on fire. Forced-; into- the street, McNeil was at the assailants’ mercy. A rope was produced for hanging him. “ Men, give me a chance. It may be my last words)” cried McNeil, his face covered with blood. - “ Give him a chance!” called a voice. A hush fell upon the crowd. McNeil spoke for half an hour, denying the charge against him 4 , and the mob thereupon decided to let justice take its regular course. The Chief of Police took McNeil off in a motor-car at full speed towards Welland before the crowd had time to change its mind. The mutilated body of the girl was found in the woods, and since''the discovery search parties have been scouring the country for trace of a child of six named Kthleen Beecham, who disappeared about the same time. During the preliminary hearing at the Court House yesterday' afternoon women joined men in attempting to assault the prisoner, who was struck several times. —

MUTINY IN A SHIP. COPENHAGEN, Aug 18. The American Express Company at 'Copenhagen received a wireless message from the U.S. steamer Jloxie (5,000 tons) saying there was a mutiny aboard ! the steamer, which was due at Copenhagen last night.. This morning the naval authorities, at the request of the police, sent out a seaplane which found the Hoxie, a collier, about 20 miles south of Copenhagen. Everything seemed quiet in the ship, which is steaming slowly north. A wireless message has been received from Captain Kampfholdt declaring that'everything was quiet and that the ring leader had been put'in irons.