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Aviation History
1911
1911 - 0458.PDF
[/OGHT] done to his Morane aeroplane orthwith, and start in the race, but the Commissaires controlling the event refused this, and authorised him to use a second machine of the same type instead, penalising hiro.^ By reason of the confusion following the catastrophe to the Minister of War, &c, he was authorised to delay his further start until the next morning, he being penalised 30 minutes under the circum stances. Altogether a pretty little dispute to smooth out for somebody. On Tuesday the three competitors remaining in all reached the end of the second section, San Sebastian. Gibert was the first to start on his Bli'riot at twelve minutes past five, two minutes after his official starting time (5.10). Garros, whose official time was 5 hrs. 5 mins., did not get on his way until 5h. 19m. 2s., and Vedrines, who should have started at 5 o'clock, waited two hours and a quarter for the mist to clear before he set out. Gibert and Garros passed over Libourne, Bordeaux, and various other points of the route within a few minutes of each other up to Biyonne when Gibert's motor began to give trouble. Just previous to this he had lost his way in the fog and was for some considerable time over the sea. He ultimately landed at the Bayonne Aerodrome about 9 o'clock. He spent best part of the day making repairs and adjustments to his machine, and did not get away again until 6h. 14m. in the afternoon, arriving at San Sebastian at 6h. 52m. 22s. p.m. ® ® THE GOVERNMENT As a natural corollary to the very important demonstration at Hendon the members of the Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee were received by Viscount Haldane, Secretary for War, and Mr. McKenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, at the House of Commons on Tuesday last. Colonel Seely, Under-Secretary for War, and Major-General Sir Charles Haddon, the Master-General of the Ordnance, were also present, the deputation including some seventy Members of Parliament. The object was to discuss the suggestions of the Committee for greater attention by the authorities to the use of the aeroplane for military purposes. Mr. Arthur Lee, M.P., as Chairman of the Committee, introduced the deputation, and he made a point that officers of both the Army and Navy should be encouraged to actively take up aviation work, and that Government encouragement should be given to manufacturers of aeroplanes, so that they might further develop the efficient machines which had already been produced. It was also contended that an organisation should be created which would enable the fullest advantage to be taken of existing aeroplanes and qualified pilots. Viscount Ilaldane in response said he was fully prepared to admit the great possibilities of the aeroplane in war, and pointed out that at Salisbury the War Office already had a school of aviation at work —a small school certainly, but one with great possibilities of develop ment. How far the experiments which had been conducted there had been successful would not be known until the manoeuvres this autumn. He quite admitted that the Army and Navy had done less in connection with aviation in this country than, say, in France, but that was partly because the number of civilian aviators was fewer and public activity less. He agreed that it would be desirable to utilise the services of those civilians who obtained experience by journeying all over the world, and were perhaps more valuable than officers who practised only in a confined space like Salisbury Plain. With regard to the development of the machine itself, they were endeavouring to settle the specification of an aeroplane suitable for military purposes, but they were anxious to obtain the benefit of recent improvements. He hoped the difficulties of the question woutd be solved before long. The War Office, he promised, would not lose sight of the idea of giving prizes for designs. Maj.-Gen. Sir Charles Hadden, replying to questions on points of detail, said what the War Office proposed was to draw up a general view of what was required for a military aeroplane, and then obtain samples. At present no one could say what were the most important features from the military point of view. Mr. Arthur Lee suggested that an interim list of requirements should be issued, as had been done in France. Maj.-Gen. Sir Charles Hadden said he preferred to wait until the officers who were being trained as aviators could give a little more information than was at present at the disposal of the War Office. He agreed that it would be well that officers should be acquainted with various types of aeroplanes, but it was difficult to get them to practise with different machines. The War Office possessed several types, but he wished officers first thoroughly to learn the biplane, because it looked as if that would be the most important from the military point of view. As regarded organisation, he thought they would have a unit, on the lines of the Air Battalion, as a Territorial unit, and a further reserve, somewhat on the lines of the motor reserve, of civilians who were under some engagement to serve when called on. Col. Anstruther-Grey, M.P., asked if it was a fact that France had nearlyzoo officers trained as aviators, while Great Britain had only 10. 46O MAY 27, 1911. In the meantime Garros on his Bleriot, who had been timed In the meanu.ii C reached Biarritz at 8 hrs. erminrwher" he landedto replenish petrol, &c. He reported tL? he 'sUgh mist which had hung over the country at the start had S worsens he went on, and he had experienced very ad weather Tn the neighbourhood of the coast Nearly two Ws were spent in searching for petrol, and then he started Sain arriving at San Sebastian at nh. 350- 3&. He was not the fo? arrival however, for Vedrines had beater1 him having flown the distance from AngoulSme w.thout a stop. Whilst S for the thick mist to lift in the early morning M. Vedrmes secu ed a motor car, and spent some time prospecting the surrounding country. At 7h. 14m. 18.. he decided to start, and passing over l7bou7ne at 8 hrs. to mins., Croix d'Hins at 8 hrs 45 ""-«""* Biarritz at 10 hrs. 23mins. he reached San Sebastian at loh 56m. 15s., havng! taken 3h. 41m. 57*. for the distance of 353 Moms He .eporte'd that between Arcachon and.San Sebastian he encountered very severe squalls which at times almost unseated him The official classing for the two stages of the racesup.to San Sebastian was Vedrines, loh. 20m. 22*.. Garros, nh. 22m. 36s., Gibert, 430n3Wednesday the aviators rested at San Sebastian, their final day's journey on Thursday being to Madrid. AND AVIATION. Col. Seely said it was no good disguising the fact that we had far fewer flying men in our Army than had France and Germany. There was also no doubt that aviation would be of immense value in war, and the War Office proposed to take various steps to remedy the defect. If no definite announcement could be made, it was not because the War Office did not recognise the importance of the matter. They had yet to decide on what lines they should advance, but he promised that, at all events, they would advance. He was in a position to say that the War Office would give a prize for the best machine for military purposes. He would not give any particulars of the competition, but would lay stress on the fact that the machine must be suited for military purposes. It was obvious that the best machine for winning a race could not be, and almost certainly would not be, the best for military purposes. The War Office would also conduct experiments as to the vulnerability of aeroplanes. With regard to the suggestion that officers should be sent to the aviation schools to learn to fly, he had spoken on the matter to Lord Haldane, who had been very favourably impressed. He could not say definitely that the suggestion would be adopted, but he could state that they would without delay concert steps by which many more men in the Army could be taught to fly. He only hoped that this would be accomplished without loss of life or limb. Mr. McKenna said the position, so far as the Admiralty was con cerned, was comparatively simple. It had been thought best that the flying machine world should be divided into two hemispheres, and the Navy had undertaken experiments with dirigibles of the rigid type, leaving to the Army experiments with aeroplanes and the semi-rigid dirigibles. The Navy's first dirigible had only just taken the air, so that they were entirely in the experimental stage. Mr. Arthur Lee asked how many men were under training. Mr. McKenna said the number of the crew of the dirigible was confidential, but he could say that sixteen men were in training. He did not commit himself to the type of airship which in the long run was likely to prove most useful to the Navy. By the courtesy of the Royal Aero Club four officers had obtained certificates in aviation, and the Admiralty would undoubtedly, as occasion required, train what ever number of men were necessary for this service. On behalf of the Admiralty, however, he must ask not to be pressed at the present moment to commit the Board to any type of airship, or to any definite number of men. As soon as their views were clear as to the right type of airship to adopt they would undoubtedly follow the precedent adopted in the case of the submarine in matters of organisation. Mr. Du Cros, M.P., and other members of the committee urged that the Admiralty should proceed with experiments, with the object, perhaps, of developing a type which could descend safely on water. Mr. McKenna, however, intimated that the Admiralty would for the present confine its attention to experiments with dirigibles. Satisfaction is expressed by the Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee at the reception accorded to the deputation. In the course of an interview subsequently, Mr. Arthur Lee, M.P., said that when the Government had had time to consider the arguments that the deputation advanced, the whole question would be raised in the House of Commons, so that they might have the opportunity of making a definite announcement as to what they were doing. The Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee would continue to press the matter until they were satisfied that adequate means were being taken to protect the interests of the nation in this respect.
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