EMPIRE'S FLYING GIRDLE.

Bruce Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 52, 11 July 1918, Page 3

EMPIRE'S FLYING GIRDLE.

Before the war an aerial post was looked upon as 'a possibility of half a century hence, but so swift have "been the strides in aviation of late years that aerial post services are in operation to-dav in Itwo countries —the United 'States and iCanada. Experts foresee a London-Sydney air line with a five-day service; a flying girdle round the ''Empire after tluV war, when men and nia'terials and valuable military experience will be available. .Discussing aerial post-war developments, the editor of Aeroplane states 'that postal and passenger services are immediately practicable, bringing London •within dive days of Sydney, 'two of Ottawa, one 'of 'Newfoundland, DO" hours of the ICape and 'Hongkong, and 32 hours of Bag'h'dad. The route to 'Sydney would include Paris, Marseilles, 'Rome, across the Adriatic, over the Balkans, Greece, 'Cyprus, (Mesopotamia, 'Calcutta, and over (the 'Malay 'Peninsula. Nothing would prevent the voyage to-morrow if ■the !Government cared to make the experiment. 'The flight to 'America from Oreland by way'of Newfoundland is expected shortly to be made. Tinder this ti'me J ta'ble express aeroplanes would 'hare to be used, as to cover 1<2,0t0 (miles 'in five ! days would mean : 100 miles ■an hour. /As far back as Juno, 1917, Lord 'Montagu *of Beaulieu indicated that there were many signs of a serious intention to develop postal and commercial comlmunication by means of the air. 'Ho pointed out that the position of the 'British Empire in this respect was peculiarly favourable. Our possessions would, he said, enable our air 'traffic round the world to proceed without h'aving to ask for concessions from other nations. He then gave time-tables for the various stages of journeys front England to India, and back by alternative routes. The outward journey from Croydon to Ivara'chi would be by way of Marseilles, 'Naples and 'the "West Coast of Crete, Alexandria, Jof, Basra and Bandar Abbas. Allowing for two five-hour periods 'of flying every day of 600 miles each, at 120 miles an hour, with a rest each night and a change of pilot at defined stages, he calculated that thi's journey of 4530 miles would be made in S3 A hours, of which.39j would represent actual flying time. Le'aving 'Croydon at 7 a.m., passengers would arrive at Karach at 6.30 p.m. three 'days later. The return journey from Peshawar to Hendou would be by way of 'Bokhara, Gurieff (Caspian Sea), Lugansk, Tarnopol and "Leipzig; total distance, 5630 'miles; total time on journey, 59 hours; actual flying time, 304 hours, A's the fastest average time by railway and boat to India before the war was 14 to 15 days, the saving by air would amount to at least 11 days, while in 'the ease of Australia 'there would be a saving of '23 or 24 days out of the 30 now occupied on the journey. Another scientist Who has given this matter earnest consideration is Mr G. Holt Thomas, wiio, lecturing'before the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain some little, time ago, contended that conveyance by air was a commercial proposition for three principal reason's: (1) It is faster than any other means of transport; (2) it is safe; (3) it is not too 'costly. He laid great emphasis upon the fact thrit Paris was brought within three hours of London instead of seven; 'Rome within 124 hours instead of 42; and cither Petrograd or 'Constantinople within a day's journey. He pointed ■out that by aerial transport Ceylon becomes two and threequarter days from London, Tokio four and a-quartor, Sydney five days, Capetown three and aha'if days, New York two days, Vancouver three days. lie forecasted a series of landing grounds from liondon to Tokio at 10-mile intervals, presumably reckoning the sea as a good one all the time. The American service—the ifirst regular service in the worldwas inaugurated between Washington and New York on 'May <ls, and was a complete success. The aviator left New York with 1141b of mails at 11.30 a.m. He arrived at 'Philadelphia in an hour, and the imail was then taken on by another aviator, wlio delivered it in Washington at 2.50 p.m. The service is a real one, conducted under regulations, and it Will operate on every day except Sundays, and except when weather conditions ma'ke flying dangerous. The'rate of postage is 20 cents an ounce, and a special "air mail" stamp has been printed. For the present 'the Department will accept only letters and small parcels whose length and girth •combined do not. exceed 30in. Twelve large 'training planes have been provided by the Department. It is estimated that a plane carrying 3301b of mail will bring in a revenue of 1152 dollars per trip, and planes capable of carrying 6751b of mail aro in preparation. As the present routes are developed the Department 'aim's at extending the service 'to other parts of the country. The future of aviation was su'm'med up by (Lord Montagu in a few terse phrases. ■"■ Nations," he said, "are spending •millions of 'money upon the development of itying, and thousands of brave on en liave sacrificed their lives, bo th 'in fighting and in experimental work. The great- 'development of flying produced by the war will mean that in a few years from now the human race will navigate the air with ease, speed and safety." Thus out of the 'world's

travail v/ill come progress, for it is

certain that tout for the. impetus given

'to aeronautics by the war it would have

been many years 'before we could have loooked for the things foretold herein.