The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1919. COMMERCIAL AERONAUTICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1919. COMMERCIAL AERONAUTICS.

Although the projected attempa to cross the Atlantic by aircraft is the direct outcome of an offer by the London Daily Mail of a prize of ten thousand pounds for the first aeroplane flight over the seaway between Britain and America, it has an important bearing on the commercial aspect of aeronautics, hence the great interest taken in; this pioneer long-distance trip. It' may or may not prove a success, but in view of the marvellous developments in air machines during the war, it is inevitable that progress must be maintained, and the possibilities of aerial transport developed on commercial lines. It is worthy of note that a recent cable message from New York stated that the United States Army Air Service has announced that it will Co-operate with thirty two municipalities in laying out landing fields for the purpose of aiding both the military and commercial air services, and from other sources it is learned that definite routes are being inspected, with a view to making landing places and aerodromes in different parts of the world, thus preparing for an organised system of aerial trans • port to cover the greater part of the globe. In the peace terms provision is made for the Allied and Associated Powers to have full liberty of passage and landing over and in Germany. The conquest of the air is a subject that possesses a peculiar fascination, not only for the venturesome spirits who are endowed with a full j measure of British courage and [ daring, but also for the generality of people who are content to watch and take a pride in the exploits of the intrepid aviators who did such splendid service during the war. Marvellous as were the strides made during the past five years in developing aircraft, competent opinion counts upon even more rapid development during a similar period in the future. It may reasonably be assumed that from »ew onwards there will be evolved

a succession of new aircraft speci-1 j&lly designed for use in peace time, but it may be taken for granted that for some time to come air services must be carried on by means of the aircraft and pilots recently engaged on military work. Britain possesses a large air fleet, and a correspondingly extensive force of highly-trained aviators, and it would be most advantageous to utilise both on commercial lines, under State control, to be followed in due course by the co-ordination of the system of air communications, while giving active encouragement to every form of flying enterprise. Obviously, in dealing with the development of commercial aviation, there must be a cer- j tain amount of State control to en- 1 sure that due precautions are taken to safeguard both public and private enterprise, as well as in, opening up new routes, stimulat-l ing private enterprise, encourag-l ing research, assisting in experiments, providing facilities for testing inventions, supervising the training of pilots, obtaining and disseminating commercial air intelligence. and undertaking mail and passenger traffic on politically important routes which may not attract commercial agencies. There appears to be good and sufficient reasons why the Governments in every part of the Empire should possess and maintain n a State asset aerial fleets and pilots available for both domestic and political purposes, and especially would this course be necessary if, as seems probable, the Dominions are to be constituted naval bases, linked up by a wireless system that will girdle the globe. Regarded in this light the future possibilities of aviation are beyond all conception, and the development of long distance flights, of which that across the Atlantic is to be the pioneer, becomes a matter of the utmost importance. Without doubt the flying authorities have an exciting, but unenviable, task in prospect, for aviation opens up an illimitable vista of usefulness, pp. pecially in the development of tlie vast tracts of land now lying :«®J« in the Dominions. They have ?>ehind them the massed experience of the great century of transporta tion, added to four years which ail intense national effort has packed with technical lessons in air locomotion. Close study of these lessons, and strong powers of foresight must be employed to construct for air transport a history very different to that of land transport. Supremacy in design, rather than in numbers, is the es'» sential factor for the present. The air machine comes as a new aid to the study of animal habits, exploration, and many other fields of usefulness; also in the throwing of light upon the dark places of the globe, in the facilitation of travel, besides exercising a decisive influence for knitting together and steadying the people of the world. The United States Navy General Board is already working over definite plans for extensive experimental work with aircraft, for which Congress will be asked to provide a definite grant of money, while Mr. Daniels (Naval Secretary) has asserted that it is r»t only the intention of the United States to keep abreast of aviation, but to lead the way in the development of a new Act. Private enterprise in America is already manifest by the letting of a contract for two aeroplanes capable of carrying forty-eight passengers from New York to Los Angeles, California, several seats having been booked at £IOOO each for the trip. In Britain several companies have been formed for carrying out passen ger trips, it being expected that every seaside resort will have its air services, thus giving a new zest [to the holiday season. It is not too much to expect that the Dominions will before long have their share of the new means of locomotion.