NAVAL AIRCRAFT

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 39, 15 August 1921, Page 7

NAVAL AIRCRAFT

SEAPLANE FOR AUSTRALIA

LAUNCHED AT SOUTHAMPTON.

(HNITBD PKISS ASSOCIATION.—COPTRIGBT.) - (AttHAUAN - NBW SHSAI.ANP CAILI AiSBCIAII»N.) LONDON, 12th August. Mrs. Hughes' (wife of the Federal Prime Minister) launched the first seaplane of the Australian naval aircraft at the Fairey Aviation Works at Hamble, Southampton. Mr. Hughes did not attend. General J. ,E. B. Seely presided. The company included General Sir William Branckner and Sir Frederick Sykes, of the Air Force; Major Coates, the Commonwealth liaison officer' on the Air; Ministry; Mr. Justice Isaacs, the Agent-General, and Colonel Moor© BTabazon, a member of the House of Commons.

General Seely, in proposing the success of the Commonwealth, coupled with the name of Mrs. Hughes, eulogised Mr. Hughes's far-sighbedness in instituting a Commonwealth Air Force, also the services rendered .afc the Imperial Conference, afc which, lie championed the cause of civil aviation, which was destined to solve the problem of the groat distances separating the. Empire. Mr. ■Hughes and the other Dominion Premiers stood at Mt. Lloyd George's right hand in the recent critical period. Although not possessing official information, he hazarded the conjecture that if there had been no Imperial Conference there would have been no settlement of the Irish question.' Tho spectacle of the Dominions participating as sister States in Imperial crises was an invaluable object lesson,..which appealed to Irish leaders.

Mrs. Hughes, in briefly returning thanks, explained that she refrained from speech-making, because it was unwise to have two orators in one family.

Mr. Hunter (Queensland Agent-Gen-eral), responding on , behalf of the Commonwealth, commented on the Government's foresight in organising seaplanes, while the other Dominions were only thinking of the question. Six seaplanes would bo ready in September, each carrying three people, besides- bombs, maohine-guns, ammunition, and wireless apparatus. Their speed would be 110 miles per hour over 550 miles, and they would be fitted with Rolls-Royce engines. . . .

Mrs. Hughes launched the 'plane, which successfully flew over Southampton, carrying four, including General Seely and Mrs. Coatee.