AIR SERVICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22830, 14 March 1936, Page 17

AIR SERVICES

IMPERIAL ROUTES AUSTRALIA'S ATTITUDE FOREIGN AIRSHIPS (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, February 15. •" The Empire at present is compelled to consider its defence, not in an aggressive manner, but to enable it to negotiate in world readjustment without fear of having injustices inflicted upon it, and for (his defence to be effective, quick and secure lines of communication are of great importance." . ' This statement was made in a letter to The Times recently, written by Mr Charles L K. Foot. He was discussing an air route from Australia to Britain by way of the Indian Ocean, which particularly interested the late Squadron-leader Bert Kinkier. This route passed over the Indian Ocean, from Onslow on the West Australian coast, via Cocos Islands 1850 miles) Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Archipelago a distance of 1470 miles from Cocos the Seychelles (900 miles), and from there to Mombasa, Last Africa (840 miles). , . , . '.' Mr Neville Chamberlain 9 statement that we are at the a period of recurring crisis," Mr Foot writes, •• should be borne in mind and every preparation made, in case the termination of this period results in another general war. In this event Europe, and possibly the Mediterranean, would be closed to our aircraft, and the present Imperial air route to India and Australia interrupted, which in a war where speed would play a very important part would adversely ' affect the British Commonwealth. To guard against this as much as possible it should be in the Empires interest to pioneer the Indian Ocean crossing and equip the various islands with wireless and depots in case of eventualities. Not only to maintain air communications with Australia, but also India, as the Chagos Islands lie about 000 miles soMth-west from Ceylon, a perfectly easy span for a military Hying boat." GIBRALTAR-MALTA ROUTE. Lord Strickland, member of the Senate of Malta and owner of the Times of Malta, in a letter to The Times, mentions that another old suggestion, many times repeated at Westminster, is the " all red " route from Plymouth to Alexandria by Gibraltar and Malta. ■■ "From Alexandria to Mombasa," Lord -Strickland continues, " an ' all red ' air line is already in operation. What is wanted i s periodical repetition of the suggestion to awaken public opinion throughout the King's Empire as to what is obviously a duty towards defence and the correct line to be taken up commercially, and which ultimately will prove the cheapest for traffic by air. "A collateral point that has also to be stressed by repetition is that breakwaters should be built at Malta and other ports to make it possible for flying boats to take oil' in choppy weather, and to make it possible to defend such airports by a guard of fighting aircraft bavins the highest

speed, which calls for arrangements to alight on smooth water. A smooth surface at all time a is not a permanent hope in the case of craft having to land on wheels on an aerodrome which may be suddenly converted into a series of craters by hostile bombing. A harbour has a better chance of being , kept smooth in al weathers; such works take time, and should be begun as soon as possible; they will ultimately pay in peace time." A MELANCHOLY ECHO. > Mr Tom Clarke, the eminent journalist, sees in the news from-Australia a melancholy echo of Lord Strickland's letter. The Commonwealth Government rejected the Empire air mail scheme. "Those of us who desire to see the speedy and co-ordinated development of Empire air mail communications," he writes, "must regret this check to our hopes of an early 1-W1 air mail to Australia. "Australia stands alone among the Empire family in saying 'No.' just as she did, I believe, in 1898, when the issue was the Imperial penny post. "What is the reason? More important, perhaps, to ask what is now to happen? Is this great forward scheme to be dropped by the other interested parts of the Empire? This, surely, must not be. ls_ there some misunderstanding in Australia? If so, cannot quick steps be taken to clear it up in the most frank and conciliatory manner? " ATLANTIC AIRSHIPS. There are rumours of other air routes being established. The Sunday Pictorial "is able to reveal" that a powerful British financial syndicate is planning-to back its faith in the airship by having a giant craft built abroad for service on a direct Plymouth-New York route across the North Atlantic. Fares for the single trip, though uuaided by a subsidy. - 'ill lint greatly exceed first-class liner travel. They are expected to be in the region of £55," compared with a probable minimum fare of £240 on tlw projected Imperial Airways flying-boat service announced to start " some time this year." 'The Sunday Pictorial also announces that plans have been completed by German. Dutch, and American interests for airship services between New York and Central Europe, from Germany to South America direct, and New. York to Batavia, in the Dutch East Indies, via Barcelona, Cairo, and Aden. The services will bo run with airships built in Germany and America to designs approved by the Zeppelin Company's experts, including Dr Eckener, the famous Zeppelin commander. Neither financially nor geographically has Britain been given a place in these international schemes. Captain J. A. Sinclair, the British airship pilot, according to the Sunday Pictorial, says: "I am convinced that we shall no); see the plans for a commercial trans-North Atlantic flying boat service materialise for some years. "The German airship LZI29, which will be undergoing trials in the course of the next few days, will carry 50 passengers and their baggage and 10 tons of mail and freight when she starts her regular North Atlantic flights this year. Her designers have had at their disposal all the invaluable technical data and lessons learned from the Graf Zeppelin and R 101."