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Dunstan Times, Issue 3378, 13 June 1927, Page 8

While the Prince of Wales is admittedly the fashion loader for men, some of his too slavish followers are apt to forget the difference between their build and that of his “Royal slimness.” At an informal affair in London recently, where lounge jackets were worn, the Prince appeared in his favorite single-breasted two-button lounge jacket, with broad long lapels. It wjas comical to notch the transition in effect by the same style on a stockily built guest of enormous breadth, on whic the coat looked merely redirous.

GREATEST AIR Y€AR.

(By Harry Harper.) We stand now upon the threshold ox a flying season which, in many respects, should make 1927 the most memorable air year since, 23 years ago, Orville Wright achieved a first wavering flight of 12 seconds in a powerdriven machine.

The period of experiment is ending. Practical development has begun. Comfort, safety and reliability, as well as speed, are becoming the accepted attributes of the aeroplane express. It is during this year that vye are to see history-making steps in the forging of fresh links in Empire airlines. v

Already Imperial Airways, our national company —which has built up the finest operating organisation of its kind in the world—has begun to fly commercially over that vital 2,500 miles section between Cairo and Karachi, while several lines are now under active consideration by which London is to be connected by passenger-plane with Cairo.

Nor is this all. The British aircraft industry is now producing, to Air Ministry orders, large metal air-boats of new type which, after our Empire airway has been extended across India to Calcutta, will carry on eastward to Rangoon and Singapore. At the other end of the Imperial airchain, in Australia, there is the same eager purpose.

Not only have the Australian authorities put into operation already, on the route across their country between Port Darwin and Melbourne, something like 1,000 miles of aeroplane lines, but they are . now arranging to stretch a 1,200 miles link towards the Mother Country from Port Darwin to Surabaya, in Java. This will be followed by a further section to Singapore.

There is anothei' direction in which this air season will be specially significant. It is in regard to our important Empire airship policy. One at least, and perhaps both, of our new 5,000,000 cubic-feet gas-capacity dirigibles will be completed during the year and madeready for the air. They will represent the biggest and most powerful craft of their type yet constructed, being capable of hying 4000 miles without alighting when carrying 100 passenegers. In is the aim with these immense machines to make test flights to Egypt, India, South ’Africa, Australia, and Canada, and preparations are now being made by the Air Ministry for the departure from London of airship experts, who, visiting the dominions this spring, are to confer with the authorities there as to the erection of mooring masts and bases Still another vital air stride should mark the year. This will be in the field of our export trade. The reputation of British aircraft stands high throughout the world, and with the greater attention which is to be paid this year to organised propaganda we should hold our own against foreign competition in all those directions where lucrative sales are probable. What we should always remind ourselves is this. In the days of the Roman Empire the power of that Empire rested upon the transport system provided by the roads the-Romans built in all directions. With the British Empire, so far, the keynote of our power has been world-encircling sea transport. But in this new age now dawning, if we are to remain a great world Power, we shall have to leave earth for air, and establish a mighty fleet of mercantile aiir ships and aeroplanes, carrying mails and merchandise to the remotest corners of the earth, and reducing journeys of weeks te days and those of days to hours.