AIR POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 6

AIR POLICY

THE CIVIL SIDE.

LINKING UP THE EMPIRE,

Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, July 19, (Received July 20, at 9.40 a.rn.)

The probability of an early decision in connection with a big airship scheme which would later take .in Australia was suggested by the Duke of Sutherland (Under-Secrctary for Air) at the annual meeting of the Air League of the British Empire. He said he believed that a scheme would soon be arranged which would have far-reaching effects in linking up the Empire. The Minister continued : “Wo will gradually move in stages in that direction, first Egypt, then India and Australia, and then round tho worl.d. The only way to prevent future wars in the air is to have an Air Pore® proportionate in sire to the strength of the Empire. Extensive improvements are now being considered, especially the amalgamation of various companies concerned in civil aviation and tho employment of largo sums of private capital.”—A, and Cable.

It was recently stated by Lieutenantcommander Burney that he hoped to conclude an agreement with the British Government to subsidise an airship sendee between Britain and India. Ho had been directly negotiating with tho Government, and for tiie first time fixing tho actual financial terms for the Imperial Airship Service, ajid ho was confident that he would conclude an agreement under which services as far as Bombay would bo heavily subsidised. “ Negotiations have advanced to a point where tho Government has reached two important decisions,” ho said. “ First, it will develop airships ; second, it will dex elop them on Imperial and commercial lines. Tin's achievement iis largely due to the helpful backing of tho dominions' newspapers, combined with Admiralty pressure and that of advocates of Empire dcxclopment in tho House of Commons, who saved from destruction five airships and two of tho largest bases recent]}' under tho hammer.

“I regret that it is impossible immediately to extend the service from India to Australia. This would require £1,500,000 additional capital, with a yearly subsidy of £IOO,OOO. Nevertheless, the sendee to India will cut off ten days in the delivery of Australian mails. I am hopeful that Mr Bruce will carry out Air Hughes’s intention of developing tho Australian end of the service, and will come to the Economic Conference fully empowered to negotiate and conclude an agreement with the airship syndicate., We have already taken an option on (lie existing bases at Bedford and Pulliam, and have drawn up plans to build six airships, 780 ft long, carrying 200 passengers, ten tons of mails, and capable of maintains a regular service between Bedford and Bombay in sixty-four to seventy hours, stopning only at Port Said. “In order to make the service the safest possible, we are not using petrol for the engines, but substituting crude oil, which is not so inflammable. Wo are also blanketing tho hydrogen containers with non-explosive gas. Passengers will find the accommodation twice as good as an intercontinental train. It is really comparable to a train journey minus the noise and fatigue.

“ I contemplate that tho whole personnel will bo Royal Naval Volunteer Reservists. thus making :i favorable avenue for Australian defence. There is not the slightest doubt that in the event of Australia subsidising the service certain airships will bo based on Australia, and tho majority of ihe personnel secured there.” Commander Burney declares that war in the future will be fought in tho air over tho Pacific. Ho points out that the latest aiships are designed to cany and launch a mosquito fleet of wirelessly-controlled aeroplanes and airships so powerful that it would bo impossible to travel to Australia without alighting, getting more gas, or refuelling. A bombing, airship travelling at only forty-five miles an hour, could cover 30,000 miles, # ascend_ to heights where it would he immune from aeroplane attack, and create ' its own smoko cloud so as to render the efforts of the most expert gunners futile.