South Pacific Air-Mail in December

Pan-American Airways To Use Pago Pago Route

THE new Pan-American Airways ser vice between Alameda airport (near ’Frisco) and Auckland will be inaugur ated about the end of December, with an 5428 Sikorsky (Clipper) amphibian.

There will be one trip, each way, every two weeks. The route will be via Hono lulu, Kingman Reef and Pago Pago.

This definite announcement was made by Mr. Harold Gatty, representative of Pan-American Airways, when he arrived in Auckland on September 3. It put an end to a number of newspaper state ments, to the effect that Auckland had been abandoned by Pan-American Air ways, and that a route from Honolulu to Brisbane, via Noumea, was favoured.

Two more survey flights, Honolulu to Auckland, will be made early in Decem ber; and, after that, one Sikorsky clipper will carry on a regular service until March or April, when it will be replaced by 40-tons four-engined Boeing flying boats, each with accommodation for 40 to 60 passengers, with sleeping-berths, private state-rooms, dining saloon, and hot and cold water. These vessels will have a crew of eight, and each will carry 5,0001 b. of freight.

The first stop, out of Honolulu, will be Kingman Reef, a half-submerged coral circle, 9| by 5 miles, enclosing an area of sheltered water. As there is no land, two ships will be anchored there —one for fuel storage and one to house the staff and radio station.

Suitable buildings and equipment are being installed at once at Pago Pago, in American Samoa, where southbound clippers will remain overnight.

It is reported that experts will be at work in October in Auckland, where Pan- American Airways propose to establish an airport comparable with Miami,

U.S.A.

Mr. Gatty said that his company would have to work fast, to provide ground organisation, radio communication, dir ectional apparatus and meteorological data, by December. One Sikorsky will inaugurate the service, and one will be kept in reserve at Honolulu.

There will be little accommodation for passengers until the Boeing machines are introduced. Mails, urgent freight and fuel will take up most of the space on the Sikorsky.

The Boeing will have three decks. The navigating bridge and crew’s quarters are on the top deck; passenger accommo dation on the middle deck; and cargo will go on the third deck.

Anglo-American Co-Operation

The N.Z. Minister for Finance (Mr.

Nash) said on September 5 that Mr.

Harold Gatty’s announcement accorded with a wish that he had expressed to the United States Government in Wash ington recently that the service should be inaugurated early, and that landing and other rights for a reciprocal British

service should be made available when required. .

It was reported in August that, while Mr. Nash was in Washington, some understanding was reached that, when Imperial Airways are ready to extend their England-Australia service across the Pacific to North America, there win be co-operation instead of competition between that corporation and Pan- American Airways.

The goodwill being shown by N.Z. to wards Pan-American Airways gives ccv our to the report. Auckland Harbour Board, on September 7, approved of plans for affording facilities to P.A.A.

Imperial Airways do not seem to be much concerned about what is happening in the Pacific. There still is only a vague plan for the new air mail service between Australia and New Zealand. The Ameri can trans-Pacific service will be running, and ending “in the air” at Auckland, long before the trans-Tasman service is ready.

Britain Beflags Three Islands

Meanwhile, to make sure that the Americans shall not annex any more re puted British islands, British warships have been nailing up boards all around the Eastern Pacific.

H.M.S. Leander, on her way from Europe to N.Z., called at Oeno, Dude, and Henderson islands in August, and on each erected a flagpole, with a Union Jack, and a notice board, saying that this land belonged to the British Crown.

These three little islands lie in The Eastern Pacific, far over towards South America. They are uninhabited; but their lagoons provide sheltered water, and they may be useful for future aerial ser vices. The warship found traces of recent visits by pearlers—probably Japanese.

Canton Is. —Mischievous

Reports

The British naval sloop Leith sailed from Suva on August 25 for Canton Is land, in the Phoenix Group, carrying two British officials, Messrs. F. H. Rostier and G. V. Langdale, who will remain there for six months. Canton is an ideal seaplane station, on the direct Suva- Honolulu route. If Canton is to be used, it means that Fiji will come into the trans-Pacific air mail picture.

It was reported, in July, that American scientists, there witnessing an eclipse, had claimed Canton Island for U.S.A., and that U. 8.8. Avocet had grabbed the only available anchorage from H.M.S. Welling ton, carrying British scientists, al though Canton is British.

This was the usual newspaper claptrap.

The truth is given in the National Geo graphic magazine, August number. The Americans and British fraternised very happily; and each party finally erected a stone fittingly commemorating their visit. The Avocet was there long before H.M.S. Wellington, and had great diffi

culty in getting an anchorage, but was firmly settled when the warship arrived.

The Americans generously gave the British valuable help in landing stores and gear.

The United States never, at any time, has challenged Britain’s title to Canton Island.