The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-04

standard time), Capt. Charles
companions were approximate
proposed landing point, a mess
The message was picked uT
poration of America.
1t indicated the plane had
travelled more than $500 miles
in a little more than twenty-five
hours.
The distance from Barking Sands,
Island of Kauai, where the South
ern Cross took off at $40 a. m,
Sunday, to Suva in the Fiji Islands
is 3,138 miles.
The message was from James
Warner, radio operator aboard the
Southern Cross. 1t said weather
conditions we're becoming stormy
again.
800 Miles From Goal
1--WE estimay ye we are about 800
miles from Suva," the message said.
"We are running into bad weather
again"
A faint radio message received
at $50 a. M, indicated the Southern
Cross was proceeding steadily. The
plane had been flying more than
twenty-four hours, and was more
than two-thirds of the distance to
Suva. If the plane maintained its
present speed, it would arrive in
Suva at between and 6 p. m,
Pacific time. today.
Pass Up Chance to Land
Captain Smith and his COM
panions passed up their first chance
to land today.
Radio messages told of passing
Canton island in the Phoenix group.
shortly before 2 a. m. at an average
speed of nearly 100 miles All hour
Canton island was to have been
the landing place for the plane in
event of emergency or if the crew
decided it would be impossible for
the giant tri-motored Fokker mono
plane to make the Fiji islands with
its supply of gasoline. Two thousand
miles of water never before flown
over by an airplane lay behind the
Southern Cross when it passed over
Canton island.
Shortly before midnight the
Southern Cross had passed over
the equator after riding out bad
storm with radio battery and en-
gine trouble.
When the plane reported its posi-
ton beyond Canton Island it
indicated clearly that it was out for
nonstop fight to Suva.
The Phoenix group of islands,
mere dots in the wide eXpanse of
the Southern Pacific were the first
land the plane had been near since
the departure from the Hawaiian
group.
No estimate of the remaining
supply of gasoline was given, but
the fact that it did not halt was
taken as assurance that Capt.
Kingsford- Smith, commander of the
plane, was convinced the Southern
Cross was fueled amply for the en-
tire flight.
Beset by Rain Squalls
Braving the perils of the fight
with Kingsford- Smith were Capt.
Charles T. P. Ulm, his fellow aus
tralian and relief pilot; Lieut.. Harry
w. Lyon, American navigator, and
James Warner, radio operator.
The airmen we're beset by rain
squalls throughout the first half OF
the long voyage. Sometimes they
dived into them headlong. but al
other times the storms were so Sc
we're they were forced to climb rap.
idly above the black clouds.
During the night the left motor
of the Southern Cross sputtered
temperamentally, but the fliers
courageously minimized the danger.
Their spirits high and their conf
dence undisturbed, they kept the
nose of the huge three-motored
craft pointed at the great constella-
ton in the southern skies for which
it was named.
Then at 1918 a. m, five hours
after they had left Barking Sands,
they reported a short circuit in their
battery charger.
Going to try make repairs" the
message said. please stand by"
Travel In Rain Squalls
Fear was expressed for a time that
the planes motors might be affected
by the short circuit.
Apparently, however, the trouble
related only to the radio apparatus,
for three-quarters of an hour later
another message said the ship was
still gong strong"
Then the Southern Cross began
running into rain squalls. 1t nosed
its way through them successfully
for an hour, the motors never wav.-
erng.
At the end of that time they
reported that the rain clouds had