The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-09-01

BIZ United Press
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, Sept.
1.-Princess LowenStein- Wertheim,
So; F. F. Minchin and Leslie Hamil-
ton in the transatlantic monoplane
st. Raphael, were more than five
hours overdue at st. Johns, New
foundland, according to their sched-
ule at ITO p. m. eastern standard
time), 1910 Indianapolis time) to-
day.
It was estimated that the st.
Raphael flying at seventy-five miles
an hour would reach st. Johns by
8 a. m. indianapolis time) today.
At 9:10 a. m. the st. Raphael was
twenty-seven hours out from the
coast of Ireland, where the plane
last was sighted. The plane had
fuel sufficient to remain aloft forty
three hours. 1t was en- route from
Upavon, England, where it took of
at 1:31 a. m. Eastern Standard
time), yesterday, to Ottawa, Canada.
Brock and Schlee made the east
ward fight in twenty-three and a
half hours, but they had tail wind
most of the way, whereas the British
airmen probably had head winds
and had more passengers aboard.
900 Gallons of Gas
The st. Raphael carried 900 gal
Ions Of gasoline.
Hamilton and Minchin estimated
they would make it to Ottawa In
thirty-three hours. That now is not
possible, Ottawa being 1,130 miles
beyond st. Johns.
The Landing field at Harbor
Grace was lighted from midnight
to dawn by the burning of waste
saturated with petrol which had
been placed in oak barrels. The
5,OOO-foot runway was kept clear In
case the fiiers decided to land in
stead of continuing westward into
the interior.
Had the fiers arrived during the
night they would have had ideal
weather conditions of the New
foundland coast Out from st.
Johns in all directions the sky was
clear and filled with stars and a
light westerly wind was blowing
not strong enough tc retard the
speed Of the plane. The tempera-
ture was 10.
Foggy Over Newfoundland
But when, at dawn, a fog began
closing in the crowds experienced
their first anxiety as they realized
that the weather at sea might not
have been as favorable during the
night as. it had been of Newfound-
land.
Weather conditions in the Cult
and lower sections Of the st. Law
renee were none too favorable, and
it was thought by some that Hannll-
ton and Minchin, If they continued
beyond Harbor Grace, might end
their flight at Quebec instead Of
continuing to Ottawa, their original
goal.
AS yet there was no cause for
serious anxiety. When the st.
Raphael struck out to open sea after
crossing southern Ireland the
weather was foggy and that conGi-
ton might have existed over most
of the Atlantic, preventing ships
from sighting the plane.
May Be Fighting Wind
If west winds were encountered
all the way across, the plane may
not arrive before noon, but If the,
plane is not sighted soon after noon
there will be reason to believe that
something may have gone wrong.
The Saint Raphael carried a
collapsible rubber boat.
The distance from Upavon, Eng
land, to Ottawa. is approximately
1880 miles. OF that, 1900 miles is
from Upavon to st. Johns and 1.130
from st. Johns to Ottawa.
The Saint Raphael was sighted
three times as 1t few across Ire
land In a northwesterly direction.
When it shot off over the sea at
Galway Headland it had travelled
approximately 375 miles in four
hours and a half, an average of
seventy-five miles an hour.