BENEATH THE WINDSOCK

Evening Star, Issue 22880, 11 February 1938, Page 3

BENEATH THE WINDSOCK

-M.

Qfutfh

MAP OF ADVENTURE. A saga of adventure, enterprise, and private generosity could almost be written on the genesis and completion of a large map exhibited in Sydney some time ago. For within a space of eight feet square was the plotted result of four aerial reconnaissance survey expeditions which covered more than a quarter of the total area of the Commonwealth—vast stretches of practically unknown country populated by primitive natives and specked with dry salt lakes and rivers.

Each of these voyages of discovery was initiated and financed by Mr Donald Mackay, C.8.E., with whom were associated Commander Harry T. Bennett, D. 5.0., R.N. (retired), and Captain Frank Neale, whose skill as a pilot is such that he has flown more than 14,000 hours without accident. Commander Bennett, who formerly commanded H.M.A.S. Geranium, acted as navigator and surveyor. A replica of the exploratory map has been forwarded to the president of the Royal Geographical Society, with a private request that it be shown to the King. So that a distinction may be made between the investigations of the various expeditions, the map is drawn in sections of four different colours. Though the work of the first aerial journey in 1930 was intended to be principally experimental, Mr Mackay explains, it produced several interesting results. Thus, a salt lake, 70 miles long and 30 miles broad, named by the Government after Mr Mackay, was charted in a place where its existence had not hitherto been suspected. Its discovery and the verification of the position in 1933 are said to have been the means of saving the lives cf Sir Herbert Gepp and his party, when, utterly lost, and with their plane out of petrol, they made a forced landing some miles to the north. Being by that time on the official maps, the lake gave the pilot his location, which he was able to report by radio. Another major discovery was that of Lake Amadeus, which had been thought to be 120 miles long, but was in reality three distinct lakes, the largest being 58 miles in length. After the positions of other features had been corrected, three landings were made at Ayers llock, an extraordinary monolith rising 1,100 feet sheer above the Central Australian plateau. This was of rugged stone, and measures two miles by one. The expeditious of 1933, 1935, and 1937 were on a more ambitious scale, and the closest attention was paid i o every detail of organisation so as to ensure the maximum degree of efficiency. Mr Mackay’s purpose on all three ventuers was to provide igainst the necessity, in the event of trouble, for calling outside assistance. For that reason he kept a relief machine at his base of operations as well as a team of fast camels in charge of Bob Buck, the famous bushman from Middleton Ponds, who found Lasseter’s body. The map-making process consisted in the first place of making strip maps during flight, and then applying corrections by time distance formula on the return trip of the survey machine to the base. On every expedition this plane carried radio equipment, and on the final one wireless telephony was installed, with the most satisfactory results. The actual sot, together with other relics of Mr Mackay’s exploratory enterprises, is on view at Farmer’s beside the map, a copy of which was sent to the Prime Minister a fortnight ago.

AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH. In a report recently presented to the Federal Government by Mr H. E. Wimperis, an expert adviser to the British Air Ministry, the writer urges the provision of a central aeronautical and engineering research establishment; the creation of a chair and department of aeronautics at a university ; the appointment of a special committee to assist the development of the aircraft industry. The report concludes with the suggestions that the Council for Scientific and Industrial Reseach should be invited to explore the possibilities of the aviation industry setting up an industrial research committee to assist with advice on the programme of research in this field.

As a result of this report, two new laboratories—one to undertake fundamental aeronautical research and the other to provide a comprehensive service of engineering standards —will be erected in Australia by the Commonwealth Government. The site of the aeronautical laboratory has not yet been decided, but it is practically certain that it will be in Melbourne. The standards laboratory will be at Canberra, but branches, from which substandards will be distributed to industry, will be established in all capitals, and later in other industrial centres.

The decision to build both laboratories was made by the Cabinet when it met in Sydney recently, and provision for the first instalment of their cost will be made in this year’s Federal Budget. The Prime Minister, Mr Lyons, said that both laboratories had been recommended as necessary for development work in Australia by Mr H. E. Wimperis. The aeronautical laboratory would be equipped to deal with aircraft research and the testing of materials. When fully developed it would be available for a certain amount of engineering and' general research for the secondary industries of Australia. Mr Lyons added that the Government intended to establish in Australia an information service upon research into secondary industrial problems in other parts of the world, so that the results of this research could be quickly made available to Australia.

Mr Lyons added that Mr Wimperis’s recommendation that steps should be taken to improve the standards of training of the specialists in the aviation industry and in the Royal Australian Air Force were being considered by the Cabinet.