AIR SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 116, 19 May 1927, Page 11

AIR SERVICES

THE PEOPLE'S PART

SCIENTIFIC ENTERPRISE

(From Our Own Correspondent)

LONDON, 28th March, The development of Empire air route* and the vahn of flying as a great seientw fie enterprise were emphasised by Sir Samuel Hoare, M.P. (Air Minister)' and Sir Alan Cobham, who, with Miijbr G. Herbert Scott and Major G. Wood Humph cry, were the special guest* of. tb« Press Club at the "Air Night" ttfnner. Lord Riddle (chairman), welcoming this Air Minister and Sir Alan Cobham, said that both had done amazing things which, were worthy of brilliant epics, and to both of them the country -was under a. deep obligation. - : ■ •

Sir Samuel Hoare described -part of his flight to India, remarking that dating the journey he made no secret of. their doings; in fact, it would have been impossible t» do so, because wherever they" lauded they; found in the remotest places Press representatives, some of whom put such questions as: "Does Lady Maud Hoare really use a celluloid tooth brtißh instead of an ivory one?" and, "Does she, in the.interests of lightness, wear paper hair pins instead of steel ones?" (Laughter.) It would be well, he continued, if Cabinet Ministers, instead of always being cooped up in Whitehall, travelled about the world to see things for, themselves. As Air Minister, first of all ha wanted to strengthen the Air Force, which was not an easy task in time of peace, particularly within a short period, of the war, when every item of expend-* iture was rightly scrutinised. The other side of the programme for which ha was responsible was the civil side—the development of Empire air routes', first of all to the Far East, and, secondly, tc Capetown,' and across the length and breadth of Africa. To carry that out meant a considerable expenditure of money, and considerable preparation and s organisation. That was a programme that might take months and even years to fulfil. Airship development would coma to a definite point during the next twelv*' months when the two great airships would be finished He hoped they would regard it not as a flying experiment but as a great scientific'enterprise at a.moj ment when, it seemed to him, they murt look more-and more .ta-the_prosperity ot the Empire by the development of science and research work. The development of the airship, if it proved successful," would not only confer inestimable benifit on tho British Empire, but would be a jagnifica,nt example of the triumph of science and research over the brute force of Nature. '..'-.-■' ..': '■"'""■'~" QUESTION OF MENTAI- XT. Sir Alan Cobham said ..that' so-long aa people imagined it was a brave thing t<» fly in the air civil aviation would nevec go ahead. Once the man in the: street took up flying the development of air routes throughout the Empire would mak« rapid progress. , • He referred to his recent visit to Amer*. ica,and mentioned that the trouble "ove'f there, as in this country, regarding civ« il aviation, was the war idea of flying. Civil flying had nothing whatever to do with warfare. He looked upon the pri-vately-owned aeroplane as"-a really greaft development in flying, because once they got everyone flying, air routes would be developed, and it would be the birth of a great industry. They; had to try' t» develope the aviation mentality, and'thaft could be done by effective- propaganda. The only thing needed waa public support and sound propaganda, and if they got that they could go' ahead.

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