CAPTAIN GILES HITS BACK

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 212, 26 November 1927, Page 1

CAPTAIN GILES HITS BACK

WEATHER CHIEF ASSAILED “SITTING IN CHAIR FAR AWAY” By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.5 a.m. WASHINGTON, Friday. THE British Embassy received a telegram from Captain protesting ag'ainst the reported imputations of the San Francisco Weather Bureau against his story that bad weather forced him back to California. He sought redress for these remarks as a British Citizen, but the Embassy, puzzled as to what to do in the situation, finally decided to take no action.

TT is understood that Giles commented sharply on the forecasters, Major E. H. Bowie and Mr. T. Reed. He has contributed the following statement to the Hearst newspapers: “It seems to me that your weather bureau is willing to give little credit to a man who did his best. When the Government agent has no more to do than issue isuch statements as emanated from Major Bowie, it is time he closed his doors. I expected, as a foreigner, to receive courtesy and fair play from the bureau of the United States. APOLOGY DEMANDED “How can Major Bowie comment upon the conditions above che clouds far at sea while he is sitting in his office at San Francisco? He relied solely on reports from ships. I contend that he is not able to form even the roughest opinion of conditions applicable to aircraft. “He certainly was not in a position to criticise me gratuitously until he had heard from me. I feel he owes me an apology.” Captain Giles then gives a detailed account of his encounter with treacherous weather, including the terrific bump that caused his airplane to drop 500 ft into the clouds. He continues: “It I had been equipped with a. lifesaving raft I would have landed in the sea and taken to the raft. Major Bowie perhaps then would have been satisfied.” DIFFICULT FLIGHT

The aviator describes the difficulty of the flight back, and adds: “The steamer Ventura, cited as being in the position where I encountered the terrific bump, was at least 150 miles further out at sea.” He says he did not state that he met stormy weather, but only light, local rain squalls, with light winds, and that the air is usually more bumpy when it is quiet than

when it is moving rapidly

Captain Giles is quoted as having said that he would like Mr. Clarence Young, of the Bureau of Aeronautics of the United States Department of Commerce, to examine his machine to determine the damage, and whether repairs can be made at the Hearst ranch before the machine can be flown back to San Francisco. It is also said he believes that Mr. Young will be able to determine whether the damage was due to bad weather, as he claims. THREE-CORNERED CONTEST The dispute has reached a stage where reports come in every hour of statements and counter-statements by the three parties concerned. It is difficult to determine what action will be taken by Captain Giles, and in various quarters there is a belief that fie flight may be abandoned. It is also said that if Mr. Rosewarne does not retract the statements he made in his telegram of censure the airplane may be taken to Mexico or Canada for its flight to New Zealand. —A. and N.Z. ENDURANCE FLIGHT KINGSFORD SMITH’S SCHEME SAN FRANCISCO, Thursday. Captain Kingsford Smith's airplane, the Southern Cross, is at present having its motors overhauled. Probably the airman will not start on his proposed endurance flight until Sunday. The flight may be delayed for several days by the construction of a special runway to assist the machine in taking off. —A. and N.Z. COBHAM AT MALTA LONDON, Friday. Sir Alan Cobham has arrived at Malta, on his flight to Africa.—A. and N.Z.-Sun.