IN THE AIR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10104, 16 March 1911, Page 1

IN THE AIR.

BIPLANES FOR THE ARMY. United Pres3 Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, March 15. The British and Colonial Aeroplane Company of Bristol is supplying the War Office with four Bristol military biplanes.

An important announcement hearing on the possibilities of the aeroplane in war was made by Sir George White, chairman of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, at a dinner held at the Clifton Down Hotel, Bristol, on February 2. It was to the effect that the company had just accepted an order for eight "Bristol" aeroplanes for one of the great Continental Powers, and that others were to. be purchased in the event of certain severe tests being satisfactorily answered. They had, ho said, the greatest confidence in beu.g able to satisfy the conditions laid down, in. which event, not eight only, but a considerable number more of British-made aeroplanes would be found among the modern weapons of offence at the disposal of this nation. This interesting announcement came soon after some remarks from Sir Howell Davies, one of the members for Bristol, who mentioned that, in the course of a conversation with Mr Haldane, the Secretary of State for War expressed the belief that the War Office before long would be found purchasing aeroplanes for Army purposes. Sir Howell Davies further passed the opinion that aviation might ultimately be the means of securing permanent peace among the nations of the world, in _ support of which he quoted the opinion of an eminent Russian writer, who had written that the greater the perfection in tho weapons of war became, the greater prospect was there of peace, for the reason that the nations would be too afraid of the awful consequences of war. Naturally Sir George White's announcement created immense interest. It was understood that, the nation he had in mind was one of the Triple Entente. This view was not wide of the mark, as on a correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" asking Sir George White if he had any objection to mentioning the name of the Power, he, after some hesitation on the question of courtesy, felt himself at liberty to announce that the eight "Bristols" had been purchased for the Russian Army. They represent an _ approximate outlay of £BOOO, and it/ is worth while considering that this money is not coming out of the Russian national excheauer, but is part of a substantial fund which has been subscribed by rich and patriotic Russians, who realise that the aeroplane, if only because of its usefulness for spying and reconnoitring work on frontiers, must represent a powerful weapon in war.