Evening star., 1928-06-04
Southern Gross
Is $50 Miles
From Suva.
BATTLE CLOUDS
OVER EQUATOR
Steady Progress on
3,l38-Mile Hop
From Hawaii.
b the Associated Press.

b the Associated Press.
HONOLULU, June 4.-SometimeS fly
ing in circles to dodge storm clouds
while soaring $500 feet over the South
IPacific Ocean, the monoplane Southern
Cross was endeavoring at $50 am.
Pacific Coast time, today to reach Suva,
Fiji. 75o miles away.
A string of radio messages from the
plane told of the battle being waged by
THE crew of four against the elements
as dawn rose over the South Paciflc.
These messages were picked up by
naval radio and the Radio Corporation
OF America stations here.
The possibility that the flyers might
attempt to alight at the Samoan
Islands, cutting short their projected
fight of 3,i38 miles from Hawaii TO
Suva. was considered here, but there
was no word from the plane indicating
such a course was contemplated.
/ The Southern Cross, soaring over
the vast Pacific, was 800 miles from
'Suva at 7:30 am. coast time today u
vas encountering bad weather.
A message heard from the plane ny
the Radio Corporation of America lead:
sFive am. 7 degrees minutes south
latitude. Longitude i79 west. 800 miles
70 Suva Bad weather"
Thus the Southern Gross, which with
four men had taken fight at 7:50 am.
Pacific Coast time, yesterday from
Kauai Island, near Honolulu, had
traversed 1888 miles of its epochai
3.l3e-raiIe tourney tward Suva, Fiji.
OF the total journey TO Sydney, Aus
,tralia. begun at Oakland, Calf, Thurs
day morning, the Southern Cross had
flown approximately 4,726 miles over
the vast Pacific.
Makes Steady Progress.
The Southern Cross was making
mice progress IN IFS flight from the
Barking Sands Of the Hawaiian Islands
70 Suya In the Fiji Island group IA the
South Pacific. en- route 20 Sydney. Aus
tralEa.
At regular intervals throughout long
hours Of the night and today the
planes radio broadcast its position.
showing steady progress Of about 80
nautical miles an hour.
If this speed was maintained the
plane should reach It's objective about
3 pm, Pacific Coast time today, and
the four birdmen aboard win have COM
,pleted the longest all-watef Night in
history. 3.l38 miles.
The big monoplane hopped of from
the Barking Sands at $50 O'Clock Sum-
day morning lT.50 am. Pacific Coast
time), and it was estimated that the
second leg Of the fight would require
IS hours. The first leg from Oakland,
Calf, 10 Honolulu. distance Of 2,400
miles, was made In 27 hours and %
minutes. The entire distance 70 Sydney
is approximately 1900 miles.
Radio Tells Of Dangers.
Radio dispatches picked up at Sen
Francisco and Honolulu wildly descibed
the second leg Of the fight and told
lot the dangers. First there were onai-
nous dark clouds, q little rain and then
& Eputtering motor caused the nayaga-
tors temporarily 70 slacken speed. This
difficulty apparently disappeared as the
plane roared It's way through the night
with fun moon furnishing the only
light.
Flying first at a low altitude TO save
precious fuel, the ship was forced TO
take altitude, the radio message an
nounced, TO avoid the storm in its path.
They we're forced 70 seek course
lsboYe the clouds. There's our friend
after through the night the messages
spoke frequently Of the beautiful sight
OF the full moon beaming down upon
the clouds beneath the nayigators.
Confident that Capt. Charles Kings
forc-Enith, skipper Of the Southern
Cross, and Charles uIEn, who Is alter
mating at the controls, Navigator Harry
N. Lyon and Radio Operator James
Warren. who comprise the crew, viii
reach SuYa. Harry Marks, mayor Of the
little town on the coral dot in the ocean,
announced that the bardmen were TO be
his guests during their sojourn on his
island.
Pass Two Island Groups.
Only two small coral island groups
Dot the Pacific between the Hawaiiaps
and Suya. Fapning Island, 200 miles
distant from Ene Barking Sands take
of, was passed early in the night.
THE Phoenix group lies 1855 miles
southeast Of Kauai, was passed early
today.
Capt. Kingsford- Smith expressed his
unqualified intention before the take
of yesterday of making 6uva, and doubt
was expressed by those AZ Kauai when
he left that an attempt would be made
10 land the ship on any of the Phoenix
group unless fuel shortage made such q
landing necessary.
FIJI ISLANDERS AWAIT PLANE.