Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JUNE 17th, 1919. PERFORMING THE IMPOSSIBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, JUNE 17th, 1919. PERFORMING THE IMPOSSIBLE.

The British ajrmen were not to be outdone in the effort to fly the Atlantic. Hawker fearful of the Americans gaining; the honour of making the first non-stop flight took his courage in both hands, and all sorts of risks, and failed; and in his failure had a miraculous escape, as accidents on the high seas go. But the game still went on, the prize was still to be won; but such a prize rather a greater honor, the national credit of securing to Britain the fame that her sons had achieved wliat even three years ago believed to be the impossible. “To set the cause above renown.

“To love the game beyond the prize.” Success or failure is really measured by tbe effort, not necessarily the result itself and the public loves dearly a good loser. Hawker’s effort was praised immensely. The honors accorded him and the worship tendered him were in appreciation of his effort. He had tried, and if he had failed—well it was hard luck; not his fault. When to effort is added complete success, the achievement is doubly applauded. A New Zealand public dearly love Desert Gold because of the mare’s remarkable, i.e. consistent, efforts. She does no win always; hut she is always out to win and is generally in the forefront. Her defeat does not diminish her renown, the missing of the prize does not tarnish her record; the public, love to see the mare raced out; play ui) and play the game as the athlete is often admonished. In one of his books, Mr. H. G. Wells speaks of the thrill with which lie heard of Bloriot’s flight across the Channel. Bleriot’s triumph was almost a symbol to Mr Wells, and marked the dawn of a new era in the history of human-

ity. Man had already subdued the earth and the ocean to his needs: he had now mastered the air as well, the list element which defied him. Man had taken unto himself wings and could fly; to what heights, literally and figuratively might he not aspire now that his feet were no longer clogged by earthly fetters? Mr Wells, his eye rolling with prophetic frenzy saw visions of communications revolutionised and distances abolished by these aerial fleets. Nor was he alone; Mr Rudynrd Kipling wrote about the trade routes of the firmament and hinted at some of the problems which the conquest of the air must inevitably raise between nations; other writers of less note followed their example. But the general public as yet took little interest aviation ; it was still regarded as n “freak” science and its votaries were limited to a handful of sportsmen and scientists. War gave it its great impulse, and its development during the war has been nothing less than extraordinary. In Britain before August 1914, there were at the most not more than a few score trained aviators; it has been officially stated that when the armistice was signed the personnel of the British air service numbered close upon 300,000. Mechanical invention has made aircraft more safe, more

powerful, and more speedy. 'The whole technique of flying has changed;

“stunts” that not long ago wore considered to lie quite impossible are now

performed with ease, by the merest neophyte ; the crossing of the Channel the exploit which caused such a sensation in 1909 is now the commonplace of routine. Flying has become an art based upon an exact science and enough has already been accomplished to suggest that its potentialities are in theory, almost unbounded. But between theory

and practice tliorc is a gap which time might help to bridge, though it would appear that aviation must continue to have its limitations. Great feats such as the non-stop flight of the Atlantic will he full of experience, and will supply knowledge which should assist in mechanical invention to fit in with nature’s forces. Certainly in the ; last five years aviation has made won- | tierful progress and if the same rate j should result for the remainder of the j decade the quidnuncs will require to j

revise their ideas regarding aerial possibilities.