AVIATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 66, 26 March 1913, Page 5

AVIATION.

AEROPLANES FOR WAR.

BRITAIN’S POSITION

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.)

London, March 25

In the House of Commons, in reply to a question, Colonel Seely, Minister for War, insisted that the country possessed 101 efficient aeroplanes, and would have 148 by the end of May, whereof 130 were able to rise 3000 feet and travel at the rate ol 50 miles an hour.

IN THE ANTARCTIC,

London, March 25

Lieutenant Menard, a military aviator, leads a scientific expedition to the Antarctic in June. He will remain two years and take two aeroplanes with him.

AN ARMOR-PLATED AEROPLANE

Paris, March 25

An armour-plated aeroplane, invented by M. Bleriot, has been successfully tested. Its three millimeter plating resists ordinary rifle or shrapnel fire.

TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC

Berlin, March 18

Mr Joseph Brucker, the GermanAmerican aeronaut, has almost completed his plans for the flight across the Atlantic that he intends to make by means of his dirigible balloon, Suchard 11. , Starting from one of the Canary Islands, he proposes to embark on his hazardous journey some time between April 12 and 14. Tug balloon is the largest in existence, and ia„ a diameter of 80ft. Mr Brucker will be accompanied by two assistants, and he. will take wit! him a three week’s supply of porvisions. He expects to land first in the West Indies and afterwards on the South American coast m from five to ten days, BLOWN FROM A GUN. London, March 18. An aeronaut in New York who enclosed himself in a steel cylinder, and was then blow from a gun to a neighf of 3500 feet, paid rather dearly foi his mad freak. The cylinder was constructed in such a way as to open itself at the end of its flight, the eceupant accomplishing his descent by means of .a parachute that he tamed with him. . in-» - ■ i f( ■< t

It was about the most thrilling ex perience an aeronaut ever had, but the result was not encouraging, for although the foolhardy fellow who thus risked his life effected descent safe ly enough, he was bruised, bum id and lacerated pretty well all over h ,c body. GIFT OF AN AEROPLANE. A London correspondent, writing under date January 31, says:— Dus week, Colonel Seely, Minister for War, accepted from the students oi the ’ International Correspondence Schools an aeroplane which has been subscribed for by students in England, New Zealand, and other parts of the Empire. Sir Joseph Ward (president of the International Correspondence Schools in New Zealand) and the Hon. T. Mackenzie (High Com misisoner for New Zealand) weie piesent at the function. Sir Joseph Ward said the gift was the first voluntary and private aeroplane offered to thJ Government. He expressed ih opinion that the example that had been set might induce other distinct branches of people to act similarly. There was no reason why professional m en—commercial, financial, agricultural or working men—should not eparately provide an aeroplane for use in time of war should necessity arise. Lord Desborough mentioned that the aeroplane (Bleriot) was used by a student in an aerial tour of Great Britain in June last. Mr Slack flew 1700 miles without a mishap.