FANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 72, 18 December 1928, Page 10

FANDOM NOTES

SIDELIGHTS ON CURRENT EVENTS LOCAL AND GENERAL (By Cosmos.) ,n overseas exchange reports that a ratio programme awakened a woman wlo had slept for ISO hours. Perhaps sis wanted to hear the bedtime storie. « ♦ » Fascism, which recently celebrated is tenth birthday, has suppressed the lotary slubs of Italy. By the time it ittains its majority it will probably iave reached the age of wisdom. Not having taken an active part in the Great War, which was waged to make the world safe for democracy, Bdivia and Paraguay have decided to stige their own little “war to end wtrs.” • • • A statistician who has been keeping .rack of conditions in Russia, states that Trotsky has been exiled three times more than he has died. They must have a very poor record system in the Soviet. 7

Will the Bolivia-Paraguay conflict resolve itself into chemical warfare, in which all the latest developments of science will be tried out, or will it become another example of the picturesque guerrilla warfare which novelists so frequently describe as part of the life of Latin America? Reference is made in the news to the shipment of modern war equipment, including aeroplanes, from Germany, and if the belligerents ate relying upon that country for the supply of munitions, it is highly probable that gas attacks and other adjuncts to modern warfare will be used on a fairly extensive scale. Theoretically, one ton of mustard gas cou:<l kill 45,000.000 men, but experiences in the world war proved that in actual practice a ton of gas has in some cases resulted in as few as twenty-nine casualties. It is therefore evident that while the total number of combatants will not be great, the amount of gas required to kill them off would possibly be considerable.

An effective way of promptly settling the dispute would be to call in the services of a skilful bacteriologist win has made a study of bacteria warfare, but, unfortunately, bacteria is not over careful in discriminating between friend and foe, and its use might possibly result in the annihilation of both armies. It is probable that the conflict in central South America will be regarded as a unique opportunity to test out the effectiveness of the many new discoveries which have been mads by chemists and others since the war to end wars terminated.

With the many facilities now provided for shortening wars, even a fairsized struggle should be settled in. a month. A few tons of mustard gas, and one or two aeroplane loads of bombs containing bacteria should make it possibile for Bolivia and Paraguay to settle most of their problems within a few weeks. As the more, picturesque method of -waging war is generally preferred in the Latin American Republics. they may scorn the modern developments of the United States and Europe, but even then there is the possibility of some over-zealous expert menter sneaking up to the fighting lines to test his latest discovery, and inadvertently disposing of both armies. If the tales the inventors tell be true, it should be a mere detail to wipe out a whole army. ,

To-day, when the United State; is celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the aeroplane, it is interesting to study the phenomenal development in air speed which is being recorded. Some interesting sidelights of aviation are revealed by Squadron-Leader Arthur Coningham, D. 5.0., M.C., JL'.F.C., A.F.C.,’. R.A.F., an exWellington College boy, who is now in command of Cranwell Aerodrome, England, who has written a letter for publication in the magazine of his old college. With regard to the next flight for the Schneider Cup, he says that the machines used by Britain will be supermarines and Glosters, probably monoplanes. The engines will be Rolls-Royces of nominally 800 horse-power, capable of developing 1500 horse-power. The weight per horse-power will be something like lib. per 2 horse-power, which will be a decided advantage over the normal aero engine, which averages one horse-power for every 31b,■ The cup, this New Zealander believes; will be won at a speed of over 300 miles per hour, and the speed record which will be attempted immediately after will be nearer 350 miles per houry One of the pilots selected for next year’s competition is Flight-Lieutenant Atcherley, who is an ex-cadet from the Cranwell aerodrome. In England the race is regarded as a very Important event, and the Treasury has, voted £200.000 towards the expenses of the British Government in entering the contest.

Passing on to the endurance and longdistance record, he states that this will be attempted at the first favourable weather after the New Year. The Fairey monoplane of 85 feet wing span, specially built with a Napier engine, should remain aloft 60 or 70 hours without refuelling, and cover 6000 miles in still air. “If Great Britain has a fair share of good luck,” he adds, “she should, ere the year is out, hold the world’s records for sea, land and air, and the endurance and distance records for air and the Schneider Cup. The present owners an speed, sea, 85 m.p.h., America; land, 206 m.p.h., America; air, 318 m.p.h., Italy. Endurance.'so odd hours, Italy. Distance in 5000 miles, Italy. Schneider Cup, 287 m.p.h.. Britain. It is interesting in connection with speed to note the ratio of sea, land and air. It is approximately, 1,2, 3. in hundreds, and will probably always remain so,” conclude" the disnatch.

Squadron-Leader Co. Ingham had a distinguished war record and won all the gallantry medals ' i a was eli S il ' le for, short of the Victoria Cross. At the a<r of 10. he left with the Samoan Reinforcements and on his return went t. Egypt with the Fourth Reinforcements. In 1916, he was discharged as unfit but went to England and joined the Royal Air Force. At one period of his war career, he shot down ten 'planes in a fortnight, and was mentioned four times in French Army Orders in that time. He is officially credited with ha mg shot down thirty enemies, including the famous pot. He was also the commander of the first trans-African flight, which was undertaken by three R.A.F. 'planes in 1925. He has hopes of spend;.:g a holiday in New Zealand in 1930, when his next examinations are over.