DASH FOR BRISBANE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 375, 8 June 1928, Page 1

DASH FOR BRISBANE

* Lonely and Stormy Seas TASMAN FLIGHT FOLLOWS THE intrepid Southern Cross flyers have hopped off from „ a ° d “f winging their way on the last lap (about 1,808 miles) of their great flight from America to Australia. Captain Smith and his companions have given a most thrilling chapter to the romance of man’s conquest of the air. The e> es of all the world will be on them, following with breathless interest the last lap of their epic flight. Nothing succeeds like success. Hard on the heels of the messages that told how all the nations acclaimed the magnificent feat of these pioneers, comes another from America, revealing how, with a mortgaged plane and numerous debts, the flyers seemed fated never to start. They were aided at last by a Dos Angeles capitalist. (Unittsd P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) C-Australian Press Association.)

Reed. 2.30 p.m. SUVA, To-day. The Southern Cross, with Captain Kingsford Smith, Lieutenant C. T. Ulm, Captain Harry Lyon, and Mr. J. Warner aboard, hopped off from Naselai Beach for Brisbane at 2.52 p.m. today. The plane passed over Suva at 3.4 p.m.. going west. Major Joske, of Suva, went to Naselai Beach yesttarday, independent of the parties there, when the Southern Cross landed. She made a perfect landing on an excellent beach of

hard grey sand, half a mile from the petrol depot, and taxied along the beach without trouble. The delay of the take-off till to-day was caused chiefly through there being insuflicient time allowed to filter all the petrol through new chamois leather: also the great difficulty of landing the petrol from the Government yacht Pioneer, which was compelled to stand off in the choppy water. The airmen Anally decided that 5 o’clock was impossible, and the take-off was fixed for 2 o’clock this afternoon. The plane was then manhandled up the beach by the crew of the Pioneer and the Adi Betl and the native police, who had been sent over from Suva to guard the machine. She was taken to the high water maik. was such a glorious night that there was no need even to tie her down. Captain Lyon and Mr. Warner arrived at Naselai at 3.15 after a very rough passage in the Adi Beti outside the reef. LYON LOSES SPECTACLES A story of the loss of Ca.ptain Lyon’s spectacles is confirmed. He lost them m boarding the Pioneer. He is handicapped by this, but is not incapacitated. It is deemed impossible to «nd them by divers. The Adi Beti returned to secure them. At 6 o’clock Captain Smith. Lieut. Llm and Captain Lyon boarded the rioneer to return to Suva, leaving Mr. Warner and Inspector Tucker, a European police officer, in charge of the machine. ..They slept at the Naselai native I ffiage. Evidently the captain of the floneer considered it was impossible o leave the anchorage safely and remained all night. She will not now *he plane Is gone. The delay of the Pioneer was a *ood rhing. The flyers were worn out the festivities at Suva, which might J~ v ® been renewed if they had reurnetl. Major Joske returned at midnight. The flyers are in the best spirits after a good night’s rest on the Pioneer. The conditions here are vep y favourable. All are going ashore about noon to get the P'ane in a position to start. They have taken aboard 750 gallons } petr °l There are 800 gallons in I t “®' an ks altogether. Tfe visibility was low last night, nlch is one reason why they stayed

over. It would have been dark before they got off.

navigation, and in admiration of the perseverance of Captain Kingsford Smith and Lieutenant Ulm. Mr. Hancock sailed for Mexico on the day that the Southern Cross took oft from Oakland. He was not then aware that his connection with the flight was to become published, but he wirelessed permission to-day that his association with it be explained. The statement by Mr. Stephens revealed that, deprived of the backing which they expected when they left Australia, Captain Smith and Lieutenant Ulm found themselves stranded, with the plane mortgaged, to stay within the boundaries of California. Also, they had insufficient equipment and numerous debts. They met Mr. Hancock through Mr. Andrew Chaffey, the Los Angeles bank president. Mr. Hancock immediately became interested in the flyers, took a short flight with them, and then advanced the necessary funds for the project. Mr. Girard McGraven. chief mechanician for the Southern Cross while she was at the Oakland airport, said Captain Smith discussed with him an ambition to fly round the world, provided the Australian venture proved successful, continuing the flight from Brisbane.