AIR TRANSPORT

Evening Star, Issue 25172, 11 May 1944, Page 4

AIR TRANSPORT

POST-WAR DEVELOPMENTS ANGLO-AMERICAN DISCUSSIONS (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, May 10. Important announcements on the recent British-United States conference in London on civil air transport were made by Lord Beaverbrook, replying to the House of Lords debate. The first was that President Roosevelt had proposed that tliere should be accepted the right of "innocent passage" for all nations throughout the world and the right to laud anywhere for refuelling and other non-traffic purposes. "I am authorised by Mr Churchill,"' said the Lord Privy Seal, " to say we join with the President to the fullest extent in subscribing to these principles." 'Regarding subsidies, Lord Beaverhrook said that in the recent conference the British delegates had agreed with the Americans that the principle of international regulation of subsidies was a necessity. "We look forward to the day when subsidies will prevail no longer," he said. Lord Beaverbrook added that the negotiations with the United States Government had been entirely satisfactory. "We have, in fact, taken a considerable step forward. The deliberations went very far along the road to agreement between the two Governments." , ■

Saying that we must not be " all plan and no plans," lie announced that the American delegation had assured Britain most generously as to the supply of transport aircraft in the period immediately following the end of the war. These would be made available to

Britain on a non-discriminatory basis in the interim iperiod to enable British manufacturers to get going again. Britain, however, was not satisfied to rely on the supply of aircraft from the United States. Grateful as we were, we would do all possible to promote our own supply of aircraft. Looking ahead to the international conference which he hoped would take place this year, Lord Beaverbrook said the plan known as the Canadian Draft Convention, which laid down a detailed plan for an international regulating authority with power of enforcement, had iproved unacceptable to the Amp-. rioan delegation, as being too rigid and. therefore, it had been decided to proceed on the basis of proposals agreed on at the Commonwealth Conference six months ago. The purpose of these was to draw up an international agreement on air navigation, 'to be implemented by an international transport organisation, which would fix common standards, seek to eliminate competition, work out for each nation equitable participation in world uair transport, and maintain a broad equilibrium between air transport capacity and the traffic'on offer.

These were the general principles on which the United States and Britain ■were negotiating. The' British Government sought control by an international authority which would lay down standards and regulate agreements. Pointing out that international operations differed from international regulations, he said the former were sought by Australia and New Zealand. This woulcl mean that civil aviation would be operated by a- world air transport organisation; But as we had made concessions to the Americans, Australia and New Zealand, had made it clear that they -would also be prepared to make concessions.

Lord Beaverbrook added: " You see what a hopeful situation we are building up. All are prepared to make concessions. Our Government has no desire to exclude other aircraft from our bases. We demand no prescriptive right to use airfields for ourselves, neither do we mean to use them for the purpose of impeding the development of civil aviation throughout the world." CABOTAGE. After referring to British agreement on President Roosevelt's proposals Lord Beaverbrook spoke of cabotage, which he defined as reservation to a nation of all traffic flying over its territories, the right of a nation to carry its own traffic within its own territories to the exclusion of all other nations. _ The question arose whether it applied to traffic between the United States and such places as Hawaii. The answer, was that it did. • ~,,,. Lord Beaverbrook spoke frankly of disappointments in the progress ot construction of new British types ot aircraft. These were due entirely to preoccupation in the needs of war. However the York was in production on a small scale and had given excellent service with the R.A.F. Transport Command and British Overseas Airways. The York had flown 6,857 miles from Britain to Delhi in 32 flying hours an average ground speed of 214 miles an hour, carrying a payload of four tons. The Shetland flying boat, was also due to make its first flight in a few weeks, but would not be put in production at present. The Halifax transport plane might fly late this year, but would not be.m production this year. COMING DEVELOPMENTS.

Speaking of coming developments Lord Beaverbrook said: " We are committed to the further expansion of British air transport in this country and the Ennpire, and are looking for our proper share of world traffic. We have set our faces against wasteful ;yid improvident subsidy rates. ■■ The whole system of communications wili be transformed after the war. In this new system we must take a very big part."