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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0728.PDF
places because of what he might learn of the defences of this country ! On the other hand, foreigners of every description are quite at liberty to fly all over the greater part of England, and of learning to know the country in a manner that would be of infinitely more value to an invading force than anything they might see of the detail of a prohibited area, whilst casually flying across it in an MrofJtAoe, Let us, of course, say at once that we impute no improper motive to any foreigner who happens to be flying in England at the present time. We are merely drawing attention to some of the more obvious absurdities in the interpretation of the Aerial Navigation Act as it is at present beingadministered, and showing how illogical it is that so much should be made of this Act, in the obstruction that has been placed in the way of the suit able organisation of the Daily Mail waterplane race round Britain. Up to date, the Daily Mail has done a great deal more than the Government to encourage British aero nautics, and the positive value of their present offer is infinitely beyond the " negative"value to be gained by the literal observance of the Aerial Navigation Act in respect to the starting of the event from Southampton Water and the use of certain other prohibited controls. Frankly, we have abso lutely no patience with this particularly objectional form of activity on the part of the Government It has been necessary in the past to foster the British aviation industry without Government support, and at the present time it is necessary to continue to fight for it in spite of this form of pronounced Government op position. We should have little or nothing to say about the matter if the C.overnment activities of a more important kind compensated for such petty insistence on wholesale respect for the letter of its laws. The mere fact that the Government's sensitiveness over the details of its Aerial Navigation Act looms so prominently in current events as it does, is in itself a condemnation of Government policy. And when the renewed debate on the Army Estimates comes before the House we trust that Members of Parliament who have the interests of the movement at heart, will not lose points by choosing specially prepared red herrings that are dragged across the track for their benefit. There is only one thing that at the moment really concerns Parliament, and that is to see that a A column erected on the Donhoffplatz, Berlin, to com' memorate the work of the pioneers in aeronautics In Germany. It carries nine shields, bearing the names respectively of Prince Henry of Prussia, Count Zeppelin, Bartsch von Sigsfeld, Hanleln, Parseval, Berson, Suring, Lilienthal and Daimler. The Zeppelin airship which is passing by is the "Victoria Louise." JULY 12, 1913. sufficient sum of money is not only voted but is in fact forthcoming. . .. It is useless to have a lot of sweet promises m Parlia ment but honeyed words will not provide the wherewithal properly to maintain the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps, far less to make any provision for its suitable expansion. Even on paper the entire aviation vote in the Army Estimates is scarcely one half of the round million that we advocated as the minimum that should be set aside this year for capital expenditure. We firmly believe that the only thing of any conse quence to go for at the present time in Parliament is this question of finance; it is impossible to make "bricks without straw," and until the public has been properly assured that there is all the money that is needed, it is of little use fussing around details of the expenditure of a perfectly inadequate sum. We are quite con vinced that we have flying men and administrative officers in this country who are second to none. We are also quite convinced that we can build airships and dirigi bles in this country that can rank on the same level as the men who use them. But, we are equally quite certain that these things cannot be done without a liberal expenditure of money. The real trouble at the present time is that the seriousness of the position has not yet gripped the minds of the majority of the British public. There have been one or two spasmodic flutters of interest, of which, for instance, the most recent was the Mansion House Meeting organised by the Navy League. Even in the brief interval since then, however, public enthusiasm has waned. It is a little the same thing in the case of aeronautics in Parliament. The serious questioners are few. The majority of the House watches the verbal duel with amused speculation as to whether Member or Minister will trip up the other. It is time some of the others took a hand in the game, to show the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the proper provision for National aeronautics is something that has the weight of public opinion in its favour. And this before it is too late. A hint as to what a game this parliamentary fencing is, is forthcoming in Mr. Joynson-Hicks' reply which we print elsewhere, to Col. Seely's profession of ignorance as to whether he, Mr. Jovnson-Hicks, had yet completed his inspection of the alleged eighty efficient service aeroplanes. Truly it is a case of fooling the country, and time the truth was known. 754
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