MAILS BY AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 September 1939, Page 6

MAILS BY AIR

INAUGURATION OF ATLANTIC SERVICE. CARIBOU'S INITIAL FLIGHT. The inauguration of Imperial Airways’ trans-Atlantic air mail service has commemorated two events of note in Empire history. The Cabot, the fly-ing-boat which made the second Southampton'to New York flight, recalls the discovery of Newfoundland "by John Cabot in 1497. Many historians say that he actually landed on Canadian shores. The Caribou, which made the initial flight, is a reminder of an earlier endeavour to speed up the mails. Ten years ago, the steamer Caribou left St. John’s, Newfoundland, with the mails for Sydney, Nova Scotia. The trip took only nine hours, an accomplishment which the Newfoundland Government decided was worthy of a special stamp issue. Captain J. C. Kelly Rogers, commander of the Caribou, made what he described as “a normal landing” at New York. Observers regarded it as an exceptionally fine one." Storms and: fog which had delayed shipping on the North Atlantic route, slowed up the Caribou’s speed. The flying-boat was therefore behind schedule and a night landing was necessary. The skill with which Captain Kelly Rogers brought the Caribou to rest at Port Washington recalled to New York residents another feat of British seamanship. Some months ago, due to a strike of New York harbour workers, no tugs were available to assist the Queen Mary into dock. The commander, breaking all precedent, successfully docked the ship without the aid of tugs, a daring performance with so large a ship. As the Caribou approached Newfoundland, she passed the American Clipper, making her • maiden voyage across the Atlantic in the opposite direction. They were unable to see each other because of the fog but greetings were exchanged by wireless. The eagerness to procure first air mail covers is universal. Seventy thousand letters were carried by the Caribou from Great Britain to Newfoundland, Canada and the United States. So anxious were Canadians to have letters carried on the first return flight that many posted them too far in advance. They were put aboard the American Clipper and arrived in England three days before the Caribou left Montreal.