LONDON TO SIDNEY BY AIR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17482, 26 November 1918, Page 3

LONDON TO SIDNEY BY AIR.

Tho cable message stating that Mr Handley-Page considers the 150-hour aerial trip from England to Australia, a possibility is evidently an endorsement of the opinion expressed by Mr Reginald Lloyd in an article published in Sea, Land, and Air (Sydney) on November 1. That gentleman recently convened a meeting of men prominent in the commercial world, and outlined his scheme as follows:—"We are here to decide definitely whether or not Australia is to be brought within 150 hours' flying distance of London; and if we decide that it is to be done, I am here to consummate and to put into immediate effect that decision, aerial science hxving rendered possible such an achievement. No one machine "could fly with safety from London to Australia. That task could only be accomplished in relays, and, when it/is a, matter of maintaining a mail service, the pilots would! also have to be worked in relays." Mr Lloyd suggested 300-mile stages, and a route that would traverse Australia, New Guinea, Celebes, Borneo, Penang, Malay Archipelago, Burmah, India, Afghanistan, Persia, Arabia, Egypt, Northern Africa, Spain, and France. The article states that the money to finance tho expedition was subscribed in the room, and that the expedition would learro Sydney on November 14 to make a preliminary survey of the route and map out landing-places, a ■work which will occupy six months. It was also arranged that on the first trip a letter would be carried from his Majesty the _ King to tho Governor-general of Australia.