AEROPLANES FOR BRITAIN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10658, 13 June 1912, Page 4

AEROPLANES FOR BRITAIN.

At last, says the. "Daily Mail," the Government has 'been, moved to a serious effort in the matter of aero-' pinnies. The news that the Treasury h'as< aiuthorised the purchase of sixty m&ohinte©, arid is prepared' to increase the number to one hundred as soon as th'ere are pilot© trained for the service. wi!l be read mifr general satisfaction. It is the first practical proof the authorities have given of their conveitsion to the urgent needs of the nation. The conversion has been slow and painful, notwithstanding the practical demonstrations of efficiency afforded in this country by the competitions for prizes offered by the "Daily Mail.'' 'lnvaluable time has been wasted in disputing the military value of aeroplanes, in discussing pitas for schools, and in \ devising .means of shifting the burden from the Government by appending to the vicarious; chanty of private individuals. 'Not 'leas important, and even more interesting, is the announcement that the hydro-aeroplane /upon which naval experts,have been engaged has pawed beyond tsie stage of experiment.; If this, problem* has been, solved a most ' valuable addition has beten made to i the strength and mobility of the | Navy. The difficulty has been to design a machine which ©hall be at once a flyer' and a sailer—a craft that will float securely enough to enable it to begin and end its' flight .under the lee of' a battleship or cruiser. Even how it will be 'long before we can hope to eomie up with our.competitors abroad. They have been doing while we have been discussing and disput-. ing. ■