Evening star., 1935-11-24


| science.
Today little groups of -blackened
scientists and observers are stationed
| on these scattered cots in the South
Seas collecting the weather informa-
ton which will be of vital importance
when transport service is inaugurated
through the heart of the worlds
mightiest ocean, from San Francisco
! to Australia.
A Washington aviator, an expert on
the staff of the Bureau of Air Com
merce, Commerce Department, who
recently returned from a survey ex-
pedition to the South Seas, is ready to
go back again to complete the studies
| which may determine the key points
| on the new airline to the Antipodes
When this man, Bill Miller, finishes
his work, the little reefs, atolls and
iSletS which for years have been moth
ing more than warning dots on ocean
charts, will become radio-beacon, fuel
and repair bases, weather stations and
intermediate landing fields" on an
airway which, If present plans mate
rialize, will be without equal on earth.
A few years ago when Sir Charles
Kingsford- Smith and his crew flew
from California to Australia by way
Of Hawaii and the South Sea Island
stepping stones" he accomplished
what many aviation authorities con-
slider to be the most brilliant flight
in air history. Within a year or two,
so rapidly has aviation grown, the
same flight may be duplicated week
in and week out on regular schedule.
Air Mail Bridges Ocean.
Subjugation of the greatest of all
oceans has begun with the inaugura-
ton by Pan American Airways of air.
mail service across the North Pacific.
Operating on United States airmail
contract schedules, Pan American
now is beginning the bridging by air
of the ocean gap between the United
States and China.
The proposed route down the length
Of the Pacific is the logical out
growth of the China service, it is
believed. The gap between San
Francisco and Honolulu is the longest
nonstop flight which must be made,
and the equipment now Is on hand
to span this distance with transport
payloads.
Mr.. Miller, making his first survey
trip aboard Coast Guard cutter,
brought back, as an entertaining
part of his report, series Of motion
pictures of the points he visited.
They disclose islands which, though
for years abandoned, contain brick
and stone rain water catch basins and
reservoirs left by the old whaling and
guano ships. From the sands jut
tipsy grave-stoneS Of the mariners
of another day. Buried in the beach
of one island were found ancient
brass cannon, from which all marks
of Identification had been secured
by the sand and the sea. Whence
they came is one of the mysteries OF
those lonely seas. On those beaches
were found bits of flotSam which
must have come thousands of miles
bits of ships and even the glass globes
which are used to float the seines
of japanese fishermen.
Fearless Birds.
His pictures show BOBBY birds, so
fearless of man that they sit on
their nests while the camera is
thrust into their faces, and frigate
birds which live by pirating fish
from the boobies. Both boobies and
frigates take food from a mans
hand with little hesitation. Hermit
crabs scurry through water clear as
air and even carry their sea-shell
homes into trees.
The pictures show the establishment
Of the aerial outposts of the new in
vasion Of the tropical seas-tent
camps and meteorological stations of
Rowland, Baker and other islands
so wild and desert that even drinking
water must be shipped hundreds of
miles in metal drums to the scientists
and observers who have been left
there on lonely vigil.
oOOu Will 1OlOW LIE great transport
airplanes and hours instead of days
and weeks will measure the time of
travel from the United States to
Pago Pago, Suva, New Zealand and
Australia.
Organization of student flyers
throughout the United States into
affiliated flying clubs similar in
character to the pioneer District of
Columbia Air Legion, which for two
successive years won national honors
as the foremost private flying club
in the country, now is being under
taken under the direction of local
legion members.
Ted J. Waggy, former manager of
the local legion and now president
Of The National Association of Air
Legions. with headquarters at 73
w street, has announced that an
active drive is about to begin to
foster private flying clubs throughout
the country.
The national association, organized
several months ago, plans to start
- -@.K