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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0080.PDF
MODEL CLUB DIARY AND REPORTS. CLUB reports of chief work done will be published monthly for the future. Secretaries' reports, to be included, must reach the Editor on the last Monday in each month. AeroModels Assoc. (N. Branch) (15, HIGHGATE AVENUE, N.). OWING to the extremely adverse weather conditions which prevailed last Saturday, the trials for the K. and M. A.A. records were postponed and will be held to-day at Finchley. Leytonstone and District Aero Club (64, LEYSPRING ROAD.) JANUARY I8TH AND 19-rH.—Flying as usual. Members interested are reminded about Tuesday, January aist, at 8 p.m. Manchester Model Ae.C. (14, WARWICK RD. N., OLD TRAFFORD). JANUARY »2ND.— General meeting at Brownsfield Mill, Great Ancoats Street, at 8 p.m. All members and prospective members are invited so as to arrange the procedure for the coming season. Sheffield Model Aero Club (35, PENRHYN ROAD, SHEFFIELD). JANUARY 18TH.—Meeting for duration (weather permitting) at Standhouse Aerodrome, opposite Manor Castle, 3 p.m. prompt. S Eastern Model Ae.C. (1, RAILWAY APPROACH, BROCKLEY). MEMBERS of the above club will meet during the week-end (January 18th and 19th):—January 18th, at Kidbrooke, 2 p.m. till 4.30 p.m. ; January 19th, at Iilackheath, 8 a.m. till 10 a.m.; January 19th, at Lee Aerodrome, 10.15 a.m. till is. 15 p.m. ; January :9th, at Chislehurst (Cricket Ground), 2 p.m. till 4.30 p.m., by members of the Chislehurst and District Aero Club. ® ® ® ® CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondents communicating with regard to letters which have appeared in FLIGHT, would much facilitate ready reference by quoting the number of each letter. The British Industry. [1709] Will you permit me to use your columns in order to say a few words about the present state of the British industry and its need for adequate financial encouragement ? I do not think everyone realises the situation as it really exists, and although I have hesitated much before calling attention to what is admittedly a weakness, nevertheless I feel that the time has come to speak plainly. Aviation has advanced immensely during the past year, and several British designers have shown their ability to produce machines equal to the best that have come from France ; they have laboured in the face of enormous difficulties and they have gained their point. Now, in France and other countries, a designer who shows his worth can obtain almost unlimited financial support. Not so in England. Here a constructor gets no financial assistance whatever. Not only does he find it impossible to obtain money for experi mental work, but he is even refused backing when he actually has the orders in hand. I know personally of several good orders that would have been very profitable undertakings which have been lost to England through the inability of British manufacturers to finance the contract. Consequently the money has been spent in France, not, bear in mind, because French machines are better than English machines, but only because the Frenchman is in a better position to carry out the work from a financial point of view. I do not think people fully realise the expenses incurred by firms in the aviation industry. They have to pay the salaries of qualified pilots and to bear the expense of constant trial flights, whi«h involve a heavy outlay in fuel and oil alone. In itself this is, of course, no more than an incidental expense proper to the conduct of the business, but to the inadequately financed small firm the incessant outlay is an ever-present anxiety. The desire to improve a machine with a new pair of wings or a new propeller has to be studied as much from the point of view of economy as from the point of view of improvement, which is not as it should be in these days of rapid progress. If the factories that have gained their experience at so much cost to themselves are forced to close down through lack of financial support, the loss will be a severe one to England. It has been apparent to me, as it must have been evident to many others, that the welfare of the British industry is vital to the country in this matter. No one could have interpreted Col. Seely's remarks in any other sense. Our national characteristic is, unfortunately, to appear apathetic, and it is apparently against the policy of the Government to do anything by way of direct encouragement of the industries on which it must needs rely. There remains, therefore, the absolute necessity of establishing the aviation industry with capital provided by enterprise. Many of those who have spent their private means in giving radical expression to their ideas of how an aeroplane should be uilt are not at all in the position to finance their own businesses on a scale adequate to the growing demand of the undertaking. The irony of the situation is keen. Some of those who, after years oi really hard self-denying labour, have succeeded in establishing themselves are faced with the prospect of being buried under the JANUARY 18, 1913 ruins of their own success. The orders that they could successfully execute they are unable to undertake, and just when they ought to be repaying themselves for the labours of past years their efforts have every appearance of being in vain. I feel, Sir, that FLIGHT is read by many who are able directly or indirectly to relieve the present difficulty, which I can assure you is unquestionably real. It may be, therefore, that some who are thus situated will see my letter and be inclined to come forward to the assistance of those who have otherwise won to lose. If I thought that the outlook were other than satisfactory from the capitalists' standpoint, I would not have made this appeal. I do not pretend that the aviation industry is at present a gold mine, but I do see every reason why it should be a profitable undertaking for those who are willing to stake something on the experience of the men who know. Not every venture in life is governed by the mere consideration of the profit at the end of it. Interest, happily, is an important factor in the situation, and it is my hope that some of those who read this letter may be impelled by a feeling of interest to take a personal stake in the industry. The time will come, I believe, when some of the larger engineering firms will see in the building of aeroplanes an eminently desirable field for their own energies, but the building of aeroplanes is not a job that can be turned over ta the drawing office and placed under any chief draughtsman with any chance of success. Those who have made any pretence at studying aeroplane construction cannot fail to have been impressed with the extent to which a successful issue depends on the personal experience of the designer. The aeroplane is very much like the sailing yacht in this matter ; anything that will keep out the water may be termed a boat, but it needs something more than that to be worthy of the- name all the same. I feel very strongly that it is a case of now or never. There is a chance to buy that experience at the present time which may never recur, and I venture to think that a sense of public spirited interest should alone suffice to bring forward a purchaser, for I can only reiterate what I firmly believe, namely, that every British engineer of experience who is forced to leave the business at the present juncture will be a real loss to the country in future years. " A BELIEVER IN AVIATION AND IN ENGLAND." A Disclaimer. [1710] The reference in your last issue "to fitting a 45-h.p. engine to a machine built to take a 28 " is so obviously intended for our Bleriot pattern monoplane, that " we should like to know " whether the person who suggested such a misleading inference to you was inspired by altruism or—something else ? Whether he knew that the machine had been specially rebuilt to carry the 45-h.p. engine, which he could easily have verified ? And whether he will now " think it over" himself, and realise the fact that there is no sort of analogy between the two cases which seem to have stirred his kindly interest in the matter? As a distinct imputation has bean conveyed to you", I am quite sure that in common fairness to us you will publish this refutation. Temple School of Aviation, G. T. TEMPLE. London Aerodrome. . LEE TEMPLE. [Other correspondence held over.—ED.] ® ® ® ® Aeronautical Patents Published. Applied for In 1011. Published January i6t/i, 1913. 28,815. E. KELLER. Flying-machine. FLIGHT. 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegraphic address: Truditur, London. Telephone: i828Gerrard. SU BSCRH*TTO1N~1RATES. FLIGHT will be forwarded, t>ost jree, at the following rates :— UNITED KINGDOM. ABROAD. s. d. s. d. 3 Months, Post Free ... 3 9 3 Months, Post Free ... 5 o 6 „ ,, ... 76 6 „ ,, ... 10 o 12 „ ,, ... 15 o 12 „ „ ... 20 o Cheques and Post Office Orders should be made payable to the Proprietors of FLIGHT, 44, St. Martin's Lane, W.C., and crossed London County and Westminster Bank, otherwise no responsibility will be accepted. Should any difficulty be experienced in procuring FLIGHT from local newsvendors, intending readers can obtain each issue direct from the Publishing Office, by forwarding remittance as above.
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