NEW ZEALAND AEROPLANE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16434, 10 January 1917, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND AEROPLANE

CAREER OF THE BRITANNIA. [FROM our own correspondent.] LONDON, Nov. 17. As a vice-president of the Imperial Air Fleet Committee, Sir Joseph Ward was entertained at a dinner of welcome at tho Bath Club. Sir Joseph made a striking speech, urging the importance of air supremacy; Referring to the aeroplane Britannia, which was presented to the Dominion after it had. flown to Germany —a record flight at that time—and on the outbreak of war was brought back to England from New Zealand, he said it had been used for training pilots for tho front. After having done useful work in that branch, the War Office converted it into a biplane, still inscribed with the name Britannia, and that machine was sent to the front and had done excellent work there. It was still on active eervico, and had been successfully engaged against the enemy more than once. (Applause.) The objects of the committee, brieflv, were to turn tho attention of tho people of the Empire to the imperative need of an aerial defence, superior to our enemies, and notwithstanding the tremendous difficulties which had to be encountered in/tonnection with the defence of the Motherland, and the difficulties experienced by our men, he believed that we were only at the inception of what would be demo in the future in connection with this great branch of military service, both by the Old Land and the Overseas Dominions. It was of the utmost importance that wo should not lag behind. (Applause.) In the Jutland battle the British ships were placed at a grave disadvantage compared with the Germans, owing to the work done by the airships, which had greatly assisted the German fleet. Although that was the main object, it was equally necessary that 1 they should discuss among themselves some of the subjects which vitally affected the Old Country and the Overseas Dominions. It would be a great blunder to wait for that until the time arrived for the consideration of peace terms. They had to make up their minds that it must bo made possible for the people in the Overseas Countries to give expression to their ideas. Sir Joseph wished to impress upon thoso who had responsibility that the Overseas Countries would not allow themselves to be placed in the position of waiting for another 20 or 25 years to consider how best they were going to stop German domination and German brutality.. They would not for a moment consent to do anything which would allow Germany to be in the position commercially it hod occupied at the beginning of the war. .. The Britannia was exhibited at the Auckland Exhibition. :