The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1913. AERIAL NAVIGATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1, 6 May 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1913. AERIAL NAVIGATION.

The British Aerial Navigation Act of 191-1 is described as a measure drawn up in brief form and passed with expedition by Parliament to prohibit the navigation of aircraft over prescribed areas and to give authority for attacking those flying over such places. The effectiveness of the Act must depend wholly on the manner in which it is to be applied. The London “Morning Post” understands that it is the intention of the authorities who will have to draw up the detailed lines for carrying out the Act to do so in the most thorough fashion. When the whole scheme, it is further stated, is issued it will bo found that the prohibited areas are not few in number, but are spread all over the British islands; also that full and specific authority* will be given officers for dealing with the question of aircraft coming within range of prohibited areas. The Act, which is supplementary 7 to the Aerial Navigation Act of 1911 and which is necessitated by the progress made by the science of aerial navigation, particularly for purposes of national defence, during the last two years, will be worked in a manner that will give no oportunity for espionage in the case of ascents made even in Kngland. Ifor several years past, for example, there have been promoted international competitions starting from London and other centres in which representatives of foreign countries l have competed in the ordinary course. When these concern spherical balloons that drift at the will of the winds, the pilot is naturally powerless to control tin' course. In such circumstances these vessels often approach areas to he prohibited under powers given by the Aerial Navigation Act of 1911. When future competitions are in question no latitude will he afforded concerning such regions. In fact the Act is to he carried out in the spirit of the utmost seriousness, the more so in that ii is founded not on any share hut on unmistakable proof possessed by the authorities of certain visits of foreign airships over an area, which must necessarily he embraced in the scheme of prohibited regions. Not tin' least interesting feature of the new situation is that the nuestion

of aerodromes established by private enterprise in Great Britain will have to be gone into for it is stated that some of these are . actually within areas that will have to be “prohibited.’