CHINA IN THE AIR

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 February 1937, Page 10

CHINA IN THE AIR

A NETWORK OF LINES Winging its way swiftly southward the great twin-motored Douglas passenger aeroplane begins to lose altitude for its landing at Nanking. The huge silver-coloured ship is en route from Chungking, head of navigation on the Yangtse River, to Shanghai, -the great foreign-controlled city on the China coast, and its schedule permits only a two-minute pause at the capital of China, writes Anthony Billingham from Shanghai to the “New York Times.” Below, spread in a panorama of green mountains and yellow rice paddies, is one of the most difficult countries in the world in which to travel. Roads tire few. Muddy rivers and grey lakes reflect the bright afternoon sun and toy junks lean in the wind like paper boats pasted on strips of golden water. As the aeroplane nears the earth it can be seen that the peasants working in the wet fields pause in their labours to watch it fly overhead, while the ponderous water buffaloes hitched to their ancient ploughs nuzzle the green rice with bamboo-caged noses. Nanking, an ancient walled city with a modern varnish, flashes by below, foreign-style bouses set strangely among old Chinese temples and towers. The aeoplane banks twice, permitting some coolie grass-cutters to run to safety, and then settles in over the stout city wall to a landing. Aeroplanes are no longer a novelty in China, yet crowds of spectators are usually on hand to observe arrivals and departures. Before the establishment of the Chinese airways even moderately long trips consumed several weeks, and friends and relatives of the voyager gathered to see him off. .lust because it is now only four hours from Hankow lo Shanghai, instead of foil)’ days by river steamer, is not sufficient reason lo a Chinese for abolishing a line old custom. This day at Nanking, the door of the aeroplane is barely opened betore a grey-bearded Chinese gentleman hurries in nervously. Behind him, trooping up the aisle, come his family—| wife, his married son and daughter-in-1 law. and two grandchildren. I It is obvious that the old gentleman is about to make his first trip by air. j He sits quietly as the ship makes the t run for the take-off. It gathers speed '

and the wheels bounce a bit over the rough stubble of the Held. Sud ; denly, leaving the ground, it begins to climb smoothly. As the voyage progresses smoothly he at last looks out smilingly to see the valleys of Central China spread before him. The peaks of the sun-dappled mountains, which he knew well from the ground, appear close at hand. Reaching inside his girdle, he withdraws a small silken bag and from it extracts a carved jade snuff bottle. He inhales deeply from the tiny silver spoon, and relaxes into the soft cushioned seat with pleasure. MODERN-MINDED Chinese like that old gentleman are largely responsible for the success of commercial flying in China. Chinese are peculiarly modern-minded in some ways. Little more than ten years ago a train journey was an adventure to that old man and his like. And much less than ten years ago the old fellow probably experienced his first ride in an automobile.

There are many reasons for the success of commercial flying in China other than the mere pleasure derived from soaring above the clouds. Aside from the usual benefits, there are two vitally important considerations. For the official the clouds hold no assassins. while for the wealthy there are no kidnappers. Flying relieves both groups of a dreadful and ever-present fear. This is largely responsible for another of those singular cent radiations of the East: aviation was an established enterprise in China before the building of roads was more than well under wav.

China has now three aviation companies connecting about lilty oi the largest cities, doing a surprisingly large business. Almost every province. in the country has been opened up by air routes until it is now possible to travel from Shanghai, on the coast, to the far hinterlands of Szechuan. Yunnan. Shensi, and even to the borders of Sinkiang.

In the establishment of commercial airways. China has received more assistance from the United States than from all the other countries put together. The China National Aviation Corporation is 15 per cent. Pan-Ameri-can owned. The other 55 per cent, is in the hands of the Chinese Ministry of Communications. This concern has done a prodigious amount of

preliminary work, and now operates three lines with great success. It is the largest and most important company of its kind in China. WORKS ON THE SAME LINES • This Chino-American enterprise is operated precisely as are Pan-Ameri-can systems. It trains its own radio operators, builds its own radios and runs forty radio weather stations. A radio direction-finder is operated al Shanghai. The company is now busily installing direction-finders at ail way stations and putting homing devices on all aeroplanes. In Manchukuo the Japanese have also made aviation history. Since the Mukden incident of September, 1931. a close network oi commercial lin'es has been established over the entire country. The main line begins at the southern port of Dairen and goes north and westward with stops at Mukden, Hsinking, Harbin. Tsitsihar, and Hailar, ending at Maucliouli on the Siberian border. There tire also feeder lines to the west into Jehol and to Shanhaikwan on the Manchu-kuo-Chinese border, while other lines operate eastwards to Manchukuo’s Korean tynd Siberian borders. Daily twelve-hour Hights are now made from Hsinking. capital of Manchukuo. to Tokio, and the price oi the trip, like everything in Japan, is extremely moderate. It costs 277 yen. i or less than .I*l7 in American money. |

.Japan has played a singular role in the development of aviation in China. The United States and Great Britain were frustrated for years in their endeavours to make air-service connections in China because the Chinese Government know that .Japan would demand privileges at least as wide as those any other nation received.

.Japan, however, is direct ly responsible for the interest in aviation which began to sweep China little more than four years ago. Before the Shanghai incident China was. lo say the least, not air-minded. But live tragic weeks of aerial bombardments of Shanghai were sufficient tiemonstration to even the most uninterested Chinese of the possibilities of the aeroplane both for war ami for peace. Since that time interest has been profound ami is still growing.