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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0727.PDF
Flight, July 12, 1913. First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor : STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 237. (No. 28, Vol. V.)] JULY 12, 1913. ("Registered at the G.P.O."] L as a Newspaper. J [Weekly, Prioe 8d. I Post Free, 3*d. Flight. Editorial Office: 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegrams: Truditur, Westrand, London. Telephone: Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom ... 15*. od. Abroad ao». ad- CONTENTS. • Editorial Comment: Paper Defence Men of Moment in the World of Flight: Mr. H. G. Hawker Ladies'Day at Hendon The Avro Waterplane. (With scale drawings) Royal Aero Club. Official Notices ... From the British Flying Grounds Armchair Reflections. By The Dreamer Questions in Parliament From Paris to London in a Nieuport Waterplane. By Julien I.evasseur Skimmers and Hydro-aeroplanes. By J. E. Steele, K Sc The Holt Thomas Fire Plug Airship and Balloon News Foreign Aviation News Models. Edited by V. E. Johnson, M.A Model Clubs Monthly Reports .AGE • 753 • 755 . 75° • 75S . 762 • 763 . 766 • 767 . 768 • 77° • 771 • 772 • 773 • 776 -• 777 EBiTORHAL COMMENT. Paper Defence. The strongest possible indictment of the Government's Paper Defence—meaning the vicious administration of the Aerial Navigation Act, in lieu of providing good golden sovereigns for the development of tangible Aeronautics in Britain—is contained in a memorandum published amongst the Royal Aero Club's notices this week. Having, in common with everyone else who is actively and closely engaged in the real business of aviation in this country, been baulked in its legitimate enterprise by the pettifogging officiousness of those whose delight it is to brandish this paper bill as if it were a policeman's truncheon, the Royal Aero Club appointed a com mittee to enquire into the working of the Act, and the result of that enquiry is now made known in definite and unmistakable terms. It has found the working of the Act very evil indeed as judged from the standpoint of the encouragement required to ensure this nation's supremacy in the air. It finds that the Act has interfered with industry, has inter fered with the practice of aviation and has interfered with private generosity upon which the development of aircraft in England has been in the past and is still largely dependent, owing to the apathy of the Govern ment and the general public towards the real needs of the situation. Here is a measure hurriedly passed in a moment of temporary excitement induced by the nocturnal visit of a "scare ship." Reading it in the morning light, any soberly minded person would ordinarily regard it as a piece of legal machinery that might be useful upon occasion to bring people suspected of espionage by air, summarily within the reach of the arm of the law. So far so good. But what in fact has the Act been used to do? It has been used as a means of prohibiting the Aerial Derby around London. It has been used to obstruct the smooih progress of the arrangements of the waterplane race round Britain. It has been used for the prevention of several perfectly legitimate flights, such as that, for example, in which Mr. Grahame-White was forced recently to ignominiously " taxi " up the Thames. It has been used for the purpose of making inoffensive people, privately and honourably engaged in the furtherance of the aviation industry, appear in police courts where they are bound over to come up for judgment if called upon. It has been used in such a way as to virtually warn off British pilots from our own shores when they have flown abroad either for their amusement or on business. It has not been used to prevent the Naval Wing of the Royal Flying Corps watching without protest the flying over prohibited areas of foreign machines delivered by foreign pilots for test. On a question of policy, we are aware that there are those who would favour the total prohibition of foreigners flying above English soil. We do not purpose to discuss this point. I' it were in the Government's mind to do this, it were better done outright and straightforwardly by an unambiguous Act to that effect. So long as the Government takes no exception to the principle or* national grounds, we feel every justification for en couraging whatever may stimulate industrial progress, and the visits of foreign pilots with foreign machines is an item properly to be regarded under this head The illogical nature of the interpretation of the Aerial Navigation Act is sufficiently evidenced by the welcome accorded to Brindejonc des Moulinais at Hendon, and the prohibition placed upon Claude Grahame-White on the Thames. Mr. Grahame-White—whose enterprise in backing the Hendon aerodrome at the psychological moment has done more than many things to encourage an interest in aviaiion in this country—is submitted to the indignity of being prevented from flying over certain. C
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