KINGS FORD SMITH

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1930, Page 4

KINGS FORD SMITH

Starts Atlantic Flight

A Good Take Off

[United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright.]

LONDON, June 23. Squadron Leader Kingsford Smith started his flight across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States from Ireland this morning at half past four o’clock. ' There were cheering crowds on the V beach to see him off, and they included Air McNeil,, the Governor-General of the Irish Free State. When the Southern Cross hopped off Kingsford Smith said: We’do not hope to get a cross! We li fe' cei ta in!” There were doubts, however, as to whether the machine would lift her seven ton load, but the Southern Cross rose gracefully anil easily. The plane wag out of sight within ninety seconds' of' 'her taking off. BAD FLYING'CONDITIONS. NEW-'YORK, June 24. Doctor James~Kiniball, the State Meteorologist stated' that the weather conditions in the~north Atlantic were ■ unfavourable' tor ’Kingsford' iSmith’9 flight, with no-"indications of any helping * D '' ' Dr Kimball sa^s'i —“The situation has not cleared to any appreciable extent, There is a :: dense fog over Cape Race and Sable Island. The winds in the western half” of the Atlantio Ocean are generally blowing westerly to south westerly l ?’’Probably the conditions for landing’ here will be bad! to-morrow night;” ■ 1 Dr Kimball’s 1 detailed report contained the following statement:— “Ixmgitude 35 ■degrees, clouds; longitude 42 degrees to 60 degrees, showers; longitude : 45'idegrees to 57 degrees, fog; longitude 57 degrees to New York, overcast Winds at two thousand feet height from longitude 35 degrees; freshs ■ westerly from 45 defines; 'fresh to-• strong westerly winds from 60r degrees to New York, south-west. yayf . ' • '•"* • i 17r— REFUSAL TQ’ JSMSLAY; START.* KI **, 4 |- > / V '• . » NEW YORK, June 24. Persons in America attempted to persuade Kingsford .Smith to postpone his flight further, but an interchange of communicatioin revealed that the aviator;refused to delay. Steps have been ..taken to send a refuelling plane Portland in the* State of Maine, to meet the Southern Cross, immediately, i ‘ :

NEWS FROM PLANE. , i •ikpaUTT'* "V- - by--Aus-tralian world’s copyright by “New York Times.’.’)/ NEW YORKi June 24. The t .first message, in. .’direct com- w munica.tion from, the Southern Cross arrived at the,,, “New .York Times’s” Radio (Station, ojt £.31 a.m. ,to-day ;•* “All, 0.K,; .butj. strong head winds— Signed “V. M. Zab”’ i 4< YORK, June 24.' The, second v message from the Southern Cross was received at 2.40 a.m. ait the New York Times as folWW:’* winds very strong, but; good conditions. The. signals are fading badly, because ,this wave is too* short for this time. (Signed) V. M. Zah.” v ,NE)V ,yORK, June 24. . The third copyright Southern Crosa message was reeeiyed at the New York Times, at 2.,55 a.m. stating:— “The Southern Cross has just passed over a number of trawlers. It is very cheerful to see other people out in this waste. Every thing is going, “okay.” Our air speed is one hundred miles an hour, and the revolutions, are 1730, pej; ,minute. Our altitude ig five hundred feet. The air temperature is ~■ forty-eight degrees* Our estimated .ground speed is seven-* t.y-eight, miles aii hour.

PROGRESS SATISFACTORY. ( ' NEWTOHK. June 24., A message fr’dih- 'the Southern Cros9 j’eceived at 3.2 l a.m., by the NeW York TimeS, saya'fi-ai- : J “Just been having a look at the chart with Paddy. l -' It seems- that everything is breaking our way- There are plenty of ships l on our ’course, from which we 'team confirm our position.” ■ v •• NEW,= YORK, Jrunfe 24. (Copywright.) ' Kingsford Smith i rad i«'4>d at. 4 a.m.— Head winds' still.oof fair strength. However we are tanked for 38 hours, petrol supply. fj.*.,

THE fOIiOCK, London time—Noon ; New York—--4.30 a.m; New Zealand—ll. 36 p.nn A GOOD [START. (Received this.{day at H a.m.) ~. . LONDON, June 24. Five thousand,-,waited for three hours at Port Martnoek beach and accorded the Southern (Toss a rousing send off- Soldiers with fixed bayonets guarded the (( ,monoplane nightlong. The engines were started an hour before the. departure when they upward / took off with a 1500 yards run and the,n dyppesd a salute to th» crowd, and headed , seawards. Each occupant, was equipped with a collapsible pneumatic life belt, and each rationsconsist of six sandwiches, . a piece of cheese, half a pound of chocolate! a quart of coffee and a flask of whisky.