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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0014.PDF
JANUARY I, 1910. rp,'cHTi AERIAL LEAGUE AND THE GENERAL ELECTION. WE have received from Mr. Stephen A. Marples, the Secretary of the Aerial League, a copy of a letter which is being sent to each candidate for Parliament at the forthcoming General Election, in order to obtain an idea as to the support they will give, if elected, on matters of Aerial Defence. The letter and attached form read as follows :— " SIR,—I am requested by the Executive Committee of the Aerial League of the British Empire—which is a patriotic and non-party organisation—to enquire, for the purposes of publication, should you be elected as a member of the forthcoming Parliament, if you are prepared to support a vote for supplies for furnishing our country with adequate means of Aerial Defence, in view of the _ actual position already secured by neighbouring Continental Nations in this important matter. "It is definitely known that Germany will have 'in being' an Aerial Fleet of nineteen vessels by the end of the year, and that this will be increased in the near future to twenty-five ; it is further reported that by the next manoeuvres Germany will possess sixty- five Airships. France, Austria, Russia, Italy, and the United States are all moving in the matter of the provision of aircraft with energy and foresight. " In order to save you as much of your valuable time as possible, I enclose a form and a stamped addressed envelope, which I shall be much obliged if you will kindly fill in, and return to me at your earliest convenience. " I am, Sir, your obedient servant, " STEPHEN A. MARPLES, Secretary." "Date 19- " To the Secretary, Aerial League of the British Empire, Carlton House, Regent Street, S.W. "SIR,—I am * prepared, in the event of my election Parliament, to vote for the immediate provision, for the sufficient and efficient defence of the United Kingdom against Aerial Attack, of such means as are necessary in the opinion of the Naval and Military advisers to the Government." " 1 am * prepared to refer to the importance of this matter in my election address. "Yours faithfully, " (Signature). "(Constituency) " " * In the event of your not agreeing, please insert the word ' NOT.' " to ® ® ® ® «* FLIGHT-GOLF." FROM many and diverse quarters our suggestion of Flight Golf as a live game for model flyers has obtained strong approval, and developments are likely to be in evidence shortly. This week's Punch honours it by a long reference, a distinction which, handed down from ancient times, at once brings it within the range of a serious subject worthy the notice and consideration of one and all. Punch's remarks and humorously perfect "rules" are as follows :— " A combination of two popular sports is suggested in FLIGHT. It is to be called ' Flight Golf,' played with model aeroplanes. The competition consists in the attempt of each operator to fly his model from hole to hole in a less number of separate flights than his opponent. According to its originator, for the moment there is no need for the more enterprising of his readers to wait for any rules at all. We think this is a mistake, and hasten to supply some rules, and for the real article, in preference to mere toy machines :— " I. A full-sized course shall consist of eighteen holes from fifty to one hundred miles apart, the holes consisting of any convenient chalk or gravel pit. " 2. The aeroplanes shall tee off from the racecourse or football ground nearest to the previous hole, the use of pylons and starting- rails being disallowed. " 3. Aviators shall be permitted to address their machines, their "mechanics, or the bystanders in any language they prefer, always provided that it is not calculated to provoke a riot. "4. False starts, apologies for failure of the motor, or running along the ground for more than a hundred yards, shall be deemed to be ' foozling,' with a penalty of the loss of a flight. " 5. If the aeroplane lie in water, the driver, unless drowned, may take it out, rinse it if he pleases, and play from behind the hazard, losing a flight. "6. Whatever happens to an aeroplane by accident, such as colliding with a tree or chimney-stack, coming to pieces in mid-air, .&c., must be reckoned ' a rub on the green,' and submitted to. "7. If the driver or his mechanic strike the opponent's machine in any manner, that side loses the hole. " 8. In match-playing, an aeroplane lost entails the loss of the hole, unless any machine that has started off without an occupant be recovered within twenty minutes. "9. If an aeroplane be completely invested with fog, brushwood, haystacks, &c, only so much thereof shall be set aside as will permit the player to have a view of the landscape before he plays. " 10. No houses, growing trees, railway embankments or other impedimenta may be removed when a machine is bunkered. "11. If an aeroplane splits in two or more pieces, a fresh machine shall be put down where the largest portion lies. "12. Any aeroplane that stymies another must be wheeled aside and carefully replaced. " 13. On all occasions a two-plane match may pass a party playing ahree or more planes." NEXT PARIS SHOW. ALREADY the work of organising the second Inter national Flight Exhibition at the Grand Palais is well in hand, and the opening date has been fixed for October 15th next. The exhibition will remain open for fifteen days. It will be under the patrohage of the Aero Club of France and the Federation Internationale Aeronautique. As last year, M. Robert Esnault-Peltene is President of the Executive Committee and Commissaire General. Herr Etrich, the successful Austrian aviator, whose machine we illustrated last week in full flight. *mti IO
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