THE TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1919, Page 5

THE TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT.

GREAT AEROPLANE FEAT. HAWKER GETS NEAR IRELAND. HIS LOSS FEARED. London, May 19. Hawker, on his trans-Atlantic flight, lias been sighted off Ireland. London, May 19. A vigilant watch for Hawker is being kept off the Irish coast. News from him was received at 8 o'clock on Monday morning. The New York Times says that Hawker was first sighted 400 miles from Ireland and later reported 150 miles off the coast. Paris, May 19. Mr Lloyd George has received a message stating that Hawker flew over Waterford, Ireland, at 4.30 pro, en toute to England The Sopwith Airplane Company has received a wireless from Hawker stating that he is flying 150 miles from Ireland. His petrol is nearly exhausted, and he will be forced to land in Ireland. Hawker was reported at sea 100 miles west of Dingle Bay.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. London, May 19. It is officially stated that Hawker is carrying sufficient petrol to last until 7.30 this evening. The Air Ministry at 8 o'clock had not received news for five hours. Hawker is overdue. Mrs Hawker ia awaiting his arrival at Brooklands. Strong westerly winds are blowing from Ireland. Naval salvage parties are held in readiness.

Later reports state that Hawker's machine has been found, hut Hawker is missing.—Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn. London, May 19. There is growing anxiety about Hawker's fate, although Sopwith is confident and says the absence of messages is not surprising. Grieve is not likely to want to talk if satisfied with the course. Hawker had not sufficient petrol to carry him to Brooklands and must hind in Ireland. Mrs Hawker is equally confident. She attributes the absence of news to Hawker's determination not to assist Hie Americans by reports of his progress. . HAWKER NOT FOUND. SHIPS IN SEARCH. Received May 20, 5.5 p.m.

London, May 19. Admiral Tupper, commanding at Queenstown, having received a wireless message that Hawker was down, despatched a wireless to the warships at sea to proceed immediately to search the area around the position for a radius of thirty-eight miles. Limerick received a wireless message at 7.30 stating that Hawker had been compelled to descend to the sea 100 miles off Ningle Bay He was evidently heading for the Shannon Estuary. Official confirmation of this was lacking at nine o'clock.

The Admiralty announces that the Sopwith machine came down 40 miles west of Loop Head, near the mouth of the Shannon. All ships have been advised by wireless. There is no information as to whether the pilot was rescued. New York, May 19. The New York Times' London correspondent states that a later wireless to the Admiralty says that Hawker descended to the sea near the Shannon. His machine has not yet been picked up.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

New York, May 19,

The London correspondent of (he ! New York Times states that the Admiialty has announced that Ha»v,cer v.os rdeked up forty miles west li Loop Head, opposite the mouth of the Shannon. ADMIRALTY'S REMISSNESS. NO PROVISION TO HELP OR SUCCOR. "A VERY GALLANT GENTLEMAN." Received May 20, 7,35 p.m. London, May 20. The Admiralty has ordered many vessels to proceed to sea to assist in the search for Hawker. No success Was reported at ll o'clock lat night. The search was continued all night. Admiral Tiipper, at Queenstown, in a message early this morning, states that the earlier report concerning the descent of the Sopwith plane 40 miles off the coast is now considered unreliable. In the House of Commons, on the motion for adjournment, Capt. W. E. Elliott asked whether the Government had any information regarding Hawker, Colonel Wilson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller/replied: "None whatever." Capt. Elliott condemned the Government's inaction. The House and the? country would feel that the Governments had been lamentably remiss and desper-5 ately careless alike of the country's, honor and of the life of a very gallant ', gentleman. , , : • Mr. J. W. Pra,tt, one of the Lords of; the Treasury, replied that he did not; see how the Government could be held responsible. He could only promise to convey to the Government what had been said. Captain Wedgwood Benn asked what steps the Government had taken to assist Hawker during his flight by the provision of a pilot or rescue ship. No reply was forthcoming.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. STILL NO NEWS. IMAGINATION OF BRITAIN STIRRED. Received May 21, 12.30 a.m. London, May 20. The nett result of inquiries in official quarters show that there is no news of Hawker since he left Newfoundland. Considerable regret is felt that he left to do the journey unaided, and contrasts are made with the American accounts of how the naval dispositions worked like clockwork day and night until the Azores was skirted. The airmen were able to

see the destroyed' istar steUfs forty miles distant. Occasionally a fog came up and Was the only source of trouble, but this Was serious while it lasted, and emphasises the difficulties of Hawkert track along a far worse route. Tew events in recent years have so stirred the imagination of Britain as Hawker's and Grieves' great adventureIf existing fears are unhappily realised it will be regarded as a national loss. The prospect regarding their rescue overshadows all other topics. SEARCH FOR AMERICAN PLANK THE MACHINE RESCUED. Washington, May 19. The Navy Department has advised that seaplane No. 4 lias been ordered to seek the missing No. 3 and postpone its iiiglit to Lisbon. The New York Times says that the wew of the American seaplane No. 3 lias been saved. New York, May 19. The Navy Department announced that seaplane No. 3 lias been sighted seven miles from Ponta Delgada, in the Azores. Pohta Delgada (Azores), May 19. Seaplane No. 3 has been rescued and is proceeding under its own power. SUCCESSFUL TRIP ROUND BRITISH ISLES. London, May 12. A military Handley-Page aeroplane with a crew of nine made a record circuit of England, Scotland and Ireland in thirty hours, flying during four days at an average speed of 68 miles hourly and making an average run of 450 miles daily. The weather was unfavorable throughout. When the observer failed to locate the aerodrome near Belfast the aeroplane made a remarkable landing on Harland and Wolf's wharf, despite a heavy wind. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AMERICAN PILOT SAFE. Received May 20, 7.35 p m. New York, May 10. The New York Times' Washington correspondent says that the Navy Department has received a cable from Ponta Delgada Baving that Towers, commander of the NC3, is safe.—Aus.N Z. Cable Assn. THE ROUTES. Hawker's route was 2800 miles. The Americans' route was aR follows: St. John's to the Azores 1450 miles, Azores to Lisbon &00 mileß, Lisbon to London WOO miles. The shortest route was from St. John's to Vulentia, ISSO miles, but both Hawker and the Americans thought that the advantage expected to be gained from following the direction of the prevailing winds would compensate for the extra mileage. HARRY G. HAWKER. Harry G. Hawker, the noted Australian aviator, flies a Sopwith biplane, of the land type, with an engine of 375 horse-power, weighing 0100 pounds, and with a flying speed of 105 miles per hour and a cruising range of 25 hours. Hawker, who has been with Raynham and other aviators for a long time in Newfoundland, has been repeatedly delayed by bad weather and boggy conditions in the aerodrome. Hawker has been very successful in exhibition and prize flights. He won the prize of £IOOO given by the Daily Mail for the Around Great Britain Competition/ He came to Australia in January, 1914, and gave exhibition flights at Caulfield (Victoria) and Randwick. Hi 3 machine then was a Sopwith biplane of small dimensions, engined with an 80 h.p. Gnome-, When Hawker took- up aviation at first, he spent a year in England, learnihg all that could be taught in those days (191213), and in the course of his studentship he made a British aviation record by flying for 8 hours 23 minutes without a stop. After that he made what were then height records for pilot alone, pilot and one passenger, pilot and two passengers, and pilot and three passengers. Just before the war broke out he succeeded in a flight around Great Britain in a Sopwith aeroplane.

THE £IO,OOO PRIZE.

In 1913 the proprietors of the Daily Mail offered the sum of £IO,OOO to be awarded to the airman who shall first cross the Atlantic in an aeroplane x in flight from any point in the United States, Canada, or Newfoundland to wiy point in Great Britain or Ireland, in 12 consecutive hours. The war temporarily shelved interest' in the matter. The conditions of the contest are: The flight may be made either way across the Atlantic. The competition is opon to persons of any nationality holding an airman's certificate issued by the International Aeronautical federation, and duly entered on the competitors' register of the Royal Aero Club. The entrance' fee is £IOO. No. part of the entrance fee is to be 'received by the Daily Mail. Only one aircraft may be used for eaoh attempt. It may be repaired en route.; It be so marked before starting'' that it can be Identified on reaching the other side. Any intermediate stoppages may only be made on the water. Tow.-.-ing is not prohibited. Start and (finish:; The start may be made from land or' water, but in the letter case s\w com-* petitor mugt cross'ith« co^st-line 1 in flight.! The time will be taken from the moment of leaving the land or crossing the coast-. line. The finish nifty be made on land>■ or. water. The time will be tak«n at the moment of crossing the coast-line in' flight or toitching land. If the pilot has" at any time to leave the aircraft board a ship, ha must resume his flight from approximately the samo. point it which he went oh board. Z.