FOREIGN AIRCRAFT OVER BRITAIN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1732, 24 April 1913, Page 11

FOREIGN AIRCRAFT OVER BRITAIN.

SHOTS ON REFUSAL TO LAND. SEVEN-YEAR PENALTY FOR AERIAL SPIES. How the British Government proposes to regulate the comings and goings of foreign aircraft over the United Kingdom is described, at length in Orders issued on .March 1 by' the Home Office for the carrying out of the Aerial Navigation Act, which last month became law. Any person navigating an aircraft in contravention of tin: Orders is liable to imprisonment for six months or lo a fine of ~2(J0 or lo both imprisonment and tine. Any aircraft which flies or attempts lo fly over a prohibited area or fails lo comply with the Orders is liable to be fired on after throe signals—smoke-shells by day, red rockets by night—have been fired at Icn-secoud intervals. If any person in any aircraft is guilty of espionage he is liublo to seven years' penal servitude. These Orders, "for the purposes of tho safety and defence of tho realm," prohibit the navigation of aircraft of every class and description over the areas described in Schedule 1.

These prohibited areas include naval and military bases, garrisons, fortificalions, aeroplane and walerpluno headquarters, torpedo depots, and ammunition factories. The Orders, which are signed by the Home Sccretarj", Mr. M'Keuna, state: "I prohibit tho navigation of aircraft coming from any place outside the United Kingdom over tho whole of tho coastline of the United Kingdom and the territorial waters adjacent thereto, except such portions of tho coastline with the' territorial waters adjacent thereto as are described in Schedule II to these Orders." •"I prcscribs the areas mentioned in Schedule 111 to these Orders (hereinafter referred to as/prescribed landing places') la be tho areas within which aircraft coming from any place outside the United Kingdom shall laud; and I prohibit the navigation of such aircraft over any other part of the United Kingdom until after they have landed in one of the said landing areas and have complied with the conditions hereinafter set forth.'-' The person in charge of an airship, before commencing a voyage to the United Kingdom, shall apply lor a clearance to a duly authorised British . Consulur Officer in the country from which the voyage is to be commenced, and he shall not enter the United • Kingdom until at least 48 hours after such - Consular officer has issued the clearance to him. In the application he shall state accurately the name and .registered number (if any) of the airship; the type of airship; the name, nationality, and place of residence of the owner, of tho person in charge, audi of every member of the crew; name, profession, nntioualit.v, and place of residence of every passenger (if any); nature of cargo (if any); approximate time of departure; place of departure j_ intended landing place in the United Kingdom; proposed destination; and object of the voyage. A person in clurgo of an aeroplane shall before commencing a voyage to tho United Kingdom send notice to the Home Offieo by letter or telegram which inuvt reach the Home Office at least eighteen hours before he enters the United Kingdom.

No nerson in any aircraft, entering the United Kinedoni slmll carry any goods tho importation of which is prohibited by tho law relating to Customs; any eoods chargeable upon importation; any photographic apparatus, carrier or homing pigeons, explosives or firearms;; or any mails.

Tho person in charge of any aircraft shall, on landing, report personally to the authorised officer. He shall not continue his voyage until he has ■obtained a ijermit from the authorised officer, for which a feo of will bs pay,vblc in..case of an airship and .£1 in case of an aeroplane. In the subsequent voyage, in the case ot an airship, at least, one British representative, approved by the authorised officer, shall bo carried in tho aircraft.

Foreign naval, or military aircraft shall not pass over or land witliin any part of tho United Kingdom or the territorial waters except oh the express invitation or with the express permission previously obtained of his Majesty's Government. The Orders_ shall not apply to British naval or military aircraft or to British airoraft returning home, provided that tho owner, tho person in charge, and crow are British subjects; thalt notice is given to the Homo Office before or immediately after the outward voyage is made, and that the return voyage is ■made within thirty days of tho departure from_ the United Kingdom. The inteiukd lauding place must be in one of the prescribed lauding areas. Eighteen hours' notico of the return shall be. given. The warning of and firing at foreign aircraft are to bo conducted in ilho following manner:—When a foreign aircraft. fli<y or attempts to fly over prohibited areas a com missioned officer of the' Army or Navy slmll give tho •following signals; By day three discharges at intervals of not less than Coil seconds of a projccfilo showing, smoke on bursting. By night three discharges at intervals of not less than ten seconds of a projectile showing red stars or red lights. On 3uch signal the aircraft shall immediately land at itljo nearest practicable spot. If an _ airship is unable to land immediately it fliall make the following signal: By day show from the place where they can bo most clearly seen from below a red triangular flag, together with two black balls superimposed vertically olio above the c!ther. By night wavo a white light, at the same time extinguishing tho side lights, and it shall, as soon as possible, land at tho nearest practicable spot in ;tho United Kingdom.