Evening star., 1937-03-21

Always, from Manila to the China
coast, is scheduled for April 81. This
will complete airline service under the
United States flag more than half
way around the world.
After nearly three years of develop
ment work the pioneering phase Of
the 7,000-mile service from San Fran
cisco to Auckland, New Zealand, has
begun. A big, new Sikorsky Clipper
flying boat has been assigned by Pan
American AirWays to blaze the trail,
and the first round trip, by easy
stages, is expected to take two weeks
or more. This will include side trips
off the main route to auxiliary island
bases, a thorough Shooting" of land
ing areas prepared en- route through
the South Seas and a checking of
radio equipment on ship and shore
bases
The Atlantic picture is being filled
III rapidly. British Imperial Airways
has one big flying boat at Bermuda
ready for exploratory work between
Bermuda and New York and along
the Atlantic seaboard from the West
Indies to Newfoundland The Brit
lsh also have two sister flying boats
ready for trail blazing in the North
Atlantic. One has been engaged in
test flights around Ireland and Eng
land; the other has completed its
''shakedoWn" cruise to the Mediter-
ranean and return.
The trail-blazing flight to New Zea-
land follows three months of actual
operation of all surface aids on a full
flight basis. The bases have been in
full operation during this period, with
stats functioning on daily routine Just
as though the Clippers were in full
operation-collecting weather infor-
nation, making forecasts, operating
radio communications and direction
finders.
Establishing of airline service to
New Zealand is regarded as of great
Importance to American commerce.
Before the day of airplane transporta-
ton, the United States was only 5000
miles by steamship from Australia and
New Zealand, while Europe was $4,000
miles away. 1t used to be much
quicker to travel from England to
Australasia by way of the United
States, across both oceans, than via
the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal
and the Red Sea.
American trade benefited from this
situation and, although Australia and
Npvr, Ioo1orI D,i+f
they constituted the fourth world mar
ket for American exports in order of
Importance. Establishment by Great
Britain of airline service down the
East Indies and across the Timor Sea
to Australia reversed the whole trans
port picture. 1t became more expedi-
tious to travel 1900 miles from Aus
tralia to Europe by air and across the
Atlantic by steamer than to go the
5000 miles from the United States by
ship.
The effect on American commerce
already has been very noticeable 1t
was in anticipation of Just such an
effect that three years ago the Com
merce Department and Pan-American
Always began studies looking to es-
tablishment of airline service to New
Zealand Rowland. Baker and Jarvis
Islands were colonized as bases for
scientific study and observation. Ac-
tual studies Of the route by steamship
were begun as early as the Summer
of 1885.
The clipper used on the first round
/ trip to New Zealand will be transfer
| red upon completion of that flight to
/ the west end Of the trans-Pacific route
/ and will go into regular service be-
/ tween Manila and Hongkong. by way
I Of Macao on April 81. At Hongkong
airmail will be transferred directly to
the China National-Pan-Ameri
service along the China coast to
Shanghai and Peiping and up the
Yangtze as far as Chengtu. Connec-
| ton also will be made at Hongkong
with British Imperial Airways south
to Indo-China, the Strait Settlements,
Siam and India.
WHILE Washington struggles along
with its single, privately owned
airport. Berlin, which for years has
| had the world famous governmental