AERONAUTICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1148, 8 June 1911, Page 5

AERONAUTICS.

NEW HIGH-FLYING RECORD. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. June 7, 10.25 p.m.) London, June 7. A new world's record has been established by Herr Hirth, a German aviator, who aeroplaned with a passenger at a height of 5000 ft. at Josannisthal. FRENCH GOVERNMENT VOTE. ' (Rec. June 7, 9.15 p.m.) Paris, June 7. The War Department vote for military aviation has been increased from .£20,000 in 1910 to .£72,000 this year. The British War Office is spending ,£85,000 on flying, most of it on-' dirigibles. The "Daily Mail" recently published the following figures as to military aeroplanes and military pilots for the four principal European countries to-day :— No. of No. of Country. ' Airmen. Aeroplanes. France 50 50 Germany 40 '40 ' Russia 15 20 England 14 5 . Such a table as this (says the "Mail") does not indicate, however, the activity that now prevails in such countries as France ana Germany regarding the formation of aeroplane fleets. France, the most enthusiastic advocate of the aeroplane as a war weapon, intends to spend far more money than she has already done upon tho development of the new "arm." Her present fleet of aeroplanes will be increased before the end or 1911 from fifty to a hundred. The two military air stations she at present possesses, at one of. which are provided full facilities , for building and repairing machines, will be increased; sho .aims to have an _ absolutely complete equipment of machines, pilots, observers, and engineers—all well trained and .on a practical war footing.