AVIATION,

Otago Witness, Issue 3517, 9 August 1921, Page 19

AVIATION,

MAILS BY AIR, LONDON, August 2. The Postmaster-General announces that mails for Egypt, India, and Australia were despatched on Friday by air to Paris. They overtook the ordinary mails which were despatched on Thursday and caught the mail ships. CONTROL OF THE .AIR AND NAVAL SUPREMACY. A message from Washington received in London says that experts appear to agree that control of the air is necessary to naval supremacy, judging by the lessons of the bombing of the old German dreadnought Oslfriesland off Virginia- Cape this week. A ton of aerial bombs were dropped alongside her and crushed the ship, which sank. Experts believe that it is practically impossible to construct a hull that could weather such explosions, though in the cnee of the Ostfriesbuid none of the bombs was a direct hit. “ R” CT.Akk AIR3II IP FOB, AMERICA. 1-OXI >ON, August 5. R3B. which was purchased by America from England, is undergoing Ter final trials. She will start across the Atlantic

on August 25. She will carry an American naval crew of 30, under Commander Maxfield. The airship will be driven by. six 350 horse-power engines. She will take 30 tons of petrol for the voyage. THE INDOMITABLE POUI-ET. PARIS, August 5. Owing to lack of means to conclude his Australian flight, Poulet will remain in the Dutch East Indies. Writing to Le Matin, he says that after visiting China he hopes to establish an aviation school in the East Indies. [M._ Poulet started on the London-Port Darwin flight about the same time as Sir Ross Smith, in a single-engined machine, hut a scries of misfortunes dogged him, and he never completed the flight?] FLIGHT ROUND AUSTRALIA. MELBOURNE, August 3. Lieutenant Parer commenced his flight round Australia in a biting wind, rain and hail, accompanied by Mark Parer and Anthony Kaye. August 4. After travelling 40 miles Lieutenant Parer s engine developed trouble. He landed safely, and sent his companions away to obtain wood for overhauling purposes. While they were away Parer started to overhaul the engine. A strong wind overbalanced the machine .• id his legs and feet were caught in the revolving propeller. His big toe was broken and both his feet were badly bruised. Ho is suffering severely from exposure. When his companions returned they removed him to the hospital. Lieutenant Parer was badly bruised, but until an X-ray examination lias been made it will not be known whether any bones are broken. Lieutenant Parer states that when he recovers and the machine has been fitted with a new propeller ho will make a fresh start. A tender has been accepted for air service from Geraldton to Derby. It provides for t-ho beginning of the service on or before October 3.