COBHAM LIKENED T0 COLUMBUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17890, 5 July 1926, Page 10

COBHAM LIKENED T 0 COLUMBUS.

DOESN’T WANT FUSS MADE IN AUSTRALIA WHEN HE ARRIVES BY AIR. LONDON’, June 24. “ Nobody excels the Australians in sportsmanship, and therefore I wish to express their feelings in farewelling < aptain Cobham prior to his flight to the finest continent in the world,” said the High Commissioner for Australia (Sir Joseph Cook), when presiding at a luncheon to Captain Cobham at Australia House to-day. “A feature of Captain Cobham's trip is that he intends to undertake the return journey. Australia’s necessities have compelled the development of air Transport, and there will soon be a complete transcontinental air chain, ('aptain Cobham’s flight will be another milestone in the evolution of air transport, without which Australia has remained isolated and marooned, and therefore Captain Cobham probably will accomplish more than he imagined, especially,” added Sir Joseph jocularly, “ if he brings Mr Bruce back with him. “ Personally; after a .slight experience, I have begun to get the flying itch myself, and if I were a little younger I might rival intrepid airmen. The development of aerial routes will assist in unifying the Empire and removing the present difficulties of consultation For instance. Ministerial reconstruction will be necessary in Australia before Mr Bruce will be able to spend six months in Imperial consultation in Britain. The establishment of a ten-day route would be better than the appointment of a resident Minister in Britain.” Columbus of the Air. The Director, of-Civil Aviation (Sir Sefton Branckner) pointed out that ('aptain Cobham was more than a brilliant aviator. He possessed the indomitable courage and pertinacity that Columbus, Frobisher, Drake and others had exhibited in establishing the Empire’s sea power, and persuading stayers-at-home to support their enterprises. Captain Cobham had overcome similar difficulties, in which he acquired merit equally intrepidly in the air.

Sir Sefton recalled that he had commanded an Australian unit and an Aus—tralian squadron in wartime, and had found them the finest soldiers and aviators. He was glad that Mr Bruce’s response to Sir Samuel Hoare‘s recent speech indicated Australia's readiness to contfrucf an airship base as soon as she receh ed. the word ” Cry."

wm PM. Empire. Britain was only just beginning an Empire flight after a seven years' in-

terval. However, the Cairo-Karachi service would be the first link in the Empire chain, and if properly developed the air power would preserve the Empire which sea power had created. Responding, Captain Cobham pointed out that the organisation of straightforward civil flying did not yet exist. There was a certain amount of risk attached to his flight, and he hoped Australians would be lenient if he did not fulfil his schedule. When the route had been properly laid out it would be a simple matter for anybody to jump into a machine, rush off, and fly to Australia. Previous flights had proved that once outside Europe, British organisation was the secret of ; success. He knew the Anglo-Austra-lian route as far as Rangoon, and he could picture the remainder as firstly British and then Dutch—the organisation of which was as good, perhaps better—and finally Australian, which was tiptop. Doesn't Want Entertainments. It was necessary repeatedly to traverse a route in order to force aviation on the public mind. Otherwise, it would not be fair to those who blazed the trail. Answering critics. Captain Cobham said he was choosing the monsoon season because it would be just as well to travel during the worst period before the regular service was established. He was taking only a mechanic. Elliot, because it was necessary to have space for reserve petrol, thus enabling him to turn back from any point if necessary. He would have liked to have taken Sir Sefton Brancker. but he had to consider the extra gallone of petrol his weight and baggage would require. Captain Cobham paid a tribute to the munificence of Sir Charles Wakefield, who had informed him that he need not worry about the cost of the trip, and therefore he was naming the trip the “ Sir Charles Wakefield Flight. ” The speaker intimated that he would start at the week-end, but the precise day had not yet been decided. He did not intend to stay long in Australia, as he wished to demonstrate the time in which the double journey was possible. He therefore asked Australians not to bother about entertainments. Round Europe by Air. LONDON, June 24. “ Armchair ” views of Europe from aloft will shortly be a commonplace, according to jthe air correspondent of the “ Evening News, ” who has just completed a 2500-mile tour of Europe, spending a night in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna, Berne and Paris, and returning to London on the seventh day. lie found that the air journeys were so speedy that ample time was allowed for sightseeing. In this respect the aeroplane is much superior to any other means of travel, occupying onethird of the time of a similar journey by train.