Evening star., 1938-08-01

By the Associated Press.
MANILA, Aug. IA new note
of optimism was sounded tonight in
the apparently hopeless search for the
lost Hawaii Clipper and its Is passen-
gers. -
As Army and Navy craft ended
their fourth day of far-flung search
with the terse report, "Foand MOTH
ing" aeronautical experts of the
Philippine Department of Communi-
cations expressed belief the 26-ton
flying boat might still be afioat.
In support of their theory they
pointed to the fact intensive search
of the area where the clipper last was
heard from had failed to disclose a
single bit of wreckage They added
the clippers radio might have failed
after its last report and that it might
have left its course for some unknown
reason and landed at a spot outside
the present search zone
Bombers Find Nothing.
Two United States Army bombers
today flew far eastward of the clip
per's last radioed position and re-
turned to their base by a route which
took them over a section of the ocean
which had not been searched before.
They found nothing.
Lookouts from nine Navy surface
craft. two Navy amphibians and the
Army transport Meigs likewise re-
ported seeing only empty seas
The salvage ship Pigeon was ordered
to base at small island of Samar
Island to act as An aid to the Heron,
tender for the Navy amphbians, thus
increasing the planes flying range by
about 100 miles.
High Army and Navy officials met
tonight to discuss plans for future
search. In some quarters it was be-
lieved they were about ready to give up
Offer Is Refused.
Meantime. Pan-American officials
announced the China Clipper now at
Midway, would reach Guam Wednes-
day, stop TO refuel and then take off
over the course the Hawaii Clipper
vas flying when she vanished Friday.
Company officials did not say whether
the China would search for the missing
craft.
Pan-American officials turned down,
for the time being at least, an offer
of Richard Archbold, aerial explorer
for the American Museum of Natural
History to fly his huge flying boat
from New Guinea to join the search.
The only possible clue to the fate Of
the Pan-American Always tranS-Pa-
cific plane, which vanished Friday en-
MIA, was huge oil slick ominously
spreading across the ocean some 500
miles east of here and near the spot
where the clipper last reported herself.
Backtrack Clippers Course.
Planes extended the hunt a full 100
miles east of the fast disappearing
slick Notwithstanding the clip
per's course-in the lone hope that
ehe may have veered sharply from
her route just before disappearing.
Wind and waves were combining to
erase the slick, which contained gas
cline and lubricating oil.
The slick was sighted Saturday and
the fact no wreckage has been sight
ed at any area searched, buoyed the
hopes Of airways officials that the ship
yet would be found, despite a growing
belief among Searchers that she had
crashed on the water and sunk for
ever.
Army and Navy authorities said
plans to continue the search tomorrow
depending on final analysis of todays
hunt.
Bombers Ordered Back.
Two Army bombers, aiding Navy
planes in a search Of the area east
of the slick, were ordered to return
to their base at Tacloban on Leyte
Island, along a southern course which
would take them over ocean sectors
not yet scanned, but far south OF
the Clippers route.
Indicating the closeneSs with which
the ocean stretches were surveyed, the
bombers at one time today advised
headquarters they had sighted what
appeared to be floating wreckage east
OF the slick while flying at an altitude
Of 5000 feet.
Quickly the planes dived toward the
object. only to discover heavy piece
OF bamboo six feet long
: Excellent flying weather had fav-
ored the search, enabling the planes
and warships, which sped into the
hunt from bases near Manila, to cover
vast areas minutely.
The $450, 900 four -motored craft was
nearing the terminus OF a regular