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Aviation History
1912
1912 - 0235.PDF
MARCH 16, 1912. long time, and after that it is too late to start. 1 had wanted very much to sleep on English ground that night. A friend help me find petrol and oil, and after filling the tanks, I go to take something to eat with him. As he knew I wanted to start early next morning, he locked me in my bedroom that night, so that I should not go without him seeing me. At five o'clock he come in my room and give me a good cup coffee. I took it, and soon after I go with him to where the machine is tied up. I give a little exhibition fly, and land on the shore. Then before they let me go I have to sign many post cards, and many people take photographs of the machine. Starting again just before ten, the wind was blowing about 32 kiloms., and was a little foggy. I fly for two miles, and my engine start missing. My magneto is wrong. I put it right, and I start again at 10.12. Then I go across the Channel from Cap Grisnez to Folkestone very fast indeed. I am across the other side in fifteen minutes, and there the wind come more badly. Having no map, and as the compass rock very badly, I keep over the main road. The wind and rain beat very hard in my face. I don't like to land because I like to put my machine in my shed at Hendon before landing anywhere. But the wind and rain coming always more strong, I think it more wise to land than to continue. It take me a quarter of an hour to go four miles. Then, seeing a good landing ground on my left, I come down, and find I am at Chatham. If I am very cross against the weather I meet there the best people I have ever met. All people is ready to help me for anything. They all want to give me something to eat. I go with Mr. Sills, who has a room where I can be quiet, for I am very tired after the struggle. The schoolmaster there makes a meeting in my honour, and I go there in the evening, and they give me a big tri-colour bouquet, and after much shouting I have to sign many postcards. The next morning I start at 6.15 in a very bad wind towards [/OGHT London. My cloche is always moving ; but all is well until I fly into some fog. I remember the Regent's Park happening, and 1 think it better to descend than to continue and land in some place where the Aero Club would not like it. Near Maidstone I have to land in a champ labtri, and I break a piece off my propeller. My good friends from Hendon soon bring me another one, and we put it on. The weather is not favourable to start, but I am so hurry to come to Hendon that I look with a bad eye at those who say the weather is too bad. I go on again ; but soon after my motor stopped, and I have to descend in a football field near Beckton gas works. I land very deep from 800 metres, because ground is small. I see I am going to hit a goal-post, so I pull lack my elm he to clear it. My speed slackens as 1 rise, and a gust comes and blows me right over. I am sad, for it is the first smash I have ever had since I started to learn to fly. To me the smash itself was nothing, but to think that it should happen after those days of struggling grieved me much. However, the smash was done properly ; and so dis gusted was I at not being able to get to llendon, that I walked away without looking to see my machine. There I found friends who were very amiable to me, principally William Marsh, whom I shall not forget. The smash did not hurt me, for here I am, with only a little cut on my knuckle. Then—Mais e'est tout! Voila la I'm (/c man panvre ct triste voyage .' ® ® ® ® THE AVIATION GRANT. IN the debate on the Army Estimates in the House of Commons last Wednesday week, Mr. Lee, M.P., welcomed the substantial, if tardy, provision of the War Office in regard to aviation. If war had broken out last summer, he said, we should have been the only nation without eyes in the modern sense. So far as the scheme was concerned, he recognized its broad national framework. In this matter there should be a national flying corps in which both the Army and Navy should co-operate. Compared with the provision made by Germany or France, our Vote looked somewhat unsub stantial. On behalf of the Parliamentary Aerial Defence Committee, however, he heartily approved the Government's action for the immediate purchase of a considerable number of aeroplanes of any make—British or foreign—that happened to be efficient. They needed to give to the Army the necessary eyes at the earliest possible moment, and particularly to our Expeditionary Force. He thought that the Government had proceeded on sound lines, and he expressed the hope that no efforts would be spared to complete the equipment soon. We needed a sufficient equipment for home defence also, and he hoped that this point would not be forgotten. It was also satisfactory to find that the Government were doing something to encourage private enterprise. These pioneers, in risking life and money, deserved well of their country. He trusted also that the Government would not limit the number of officers who might be permitted to get the Aero Club certificate at any of the flying schools. At this stage the War Office could not have too many flying men. When they considered the needs of home defence and of the Army abroad it was necessary to have every man they could obtain. He hoped also that adequate remuneration would be given to the officers and men who took a share in this work. These men deserved as well of their country as, say, those of the submarine service in the Navy, and at least they ought to be as well treated. Finally, he hoped that the independence of this new flying corps would be secured, that it would not be made the appanage of any vested interest at the War Office, that it would have some represen tative there who was a whole-time chief and that the work would be taken out of the hands of some hard-worked official. The com mandant of the new school should be an officer of sufficiently high rank and prestige as to be able to command the attention of the military public. What was wanted was not only prestige, daring, enterprise, and initiative, but that there should be no tethering of the aeroplane or flying corps to the strings of the War Office. He congratulated Col. Seely on his personal efforts as chairman of the committee which had produced this scheme. But he conjured him not to rest on his oars in respect of the progress of this important movement, assuring him that if he required any assistance from the Opposition to help forward a scheme that was essential for the Army service the right hon. gentleman would receive it in no small measure. Replying to the debate Col. Seely mentioned that his department had been asked why they spent ,£90,000 on buying a flying ground. He would point ciut that an extension of land for War Office purposes in the neighbourhood of Salisbury Plain was badly wanted. It would be useful for training as well as for aviation. On the following day Col. Seely, in reply to a question by Mr. Joynson-Hicks said negotiations were in progress for 36 new aero planes, 18 of which were British. The flying corps was open to all branches of the Army, including the Territorial Force, and it was hoped and anticipated that a number of members of that force would join it. It was proposed to train non-commissioned officers and men in flying as well as officers. The distribution of the orders for aeroplanes, as between British and French makers, had been based on the advice of the members of the Technical sub-committee, who had dealt with the matter. They were guided entirely by con siderations of efficiency and safety. The French were far ahead of the British, or any other nation in this matter, and therefore their machines were, on balance, the safest of all. There were some British machines which were safe enough, but altogether the French built the safest machines. In the adjourned debate in the Army Estimates on Tuesday last, Mr. Amery doubted whether the sum of £320,000 in the Estimates for aviation would cover the cost. He maintained that the Flying Corps should be under the control of the General Staff. Col. Seely in replying said that it was absolutely vital for the Flying Service that there should be co-ordination and co-operatioa between the Navy and the Army, but he could not say at the moment exactly how that would be brought about. Mr. Amery had urged that the military wing should be under the Department of the General Staff. That suggestion would be very carefully considered, and he was disposed to think that the arguments of the hon, gentle man were so sound that it would have to be adopted. © ® ® ® THE NAVY ESTIMATES. VERY cold comfort is afforded to those who, in the light of the Army Estimates and Col. Seely's remarks thereon, have been led to anticipate that there would be a substantial allotment in the Naval Estimates for Aviation, by the following paragraph, which is the only reference to the subject either in the Estimates themselves or in Mr. Winston Churchill's explanatory memorandum : " The develop ment of aviation for naval purposes has been the subject of special attention, and all possible measures have been taken to procure an adequate and immediate supply of trained officers and mechanics." We sincerely trust some light may be thrown on the subject when the Estimates are introduced into the House of Commons by Mr. Churchill. 235 C
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