FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0454.PDF
gusg London and Provincial Aviation Co.—On Tuesday last week, Mr. M. G. Smiles climbed 6,500 ft. on our new 40 h.p. machine. Wednesday, Messrs. Irwing, Wattine, Dower, Minter and Nethersole straights. Messrs. Sykes, Scott, Wood, Adams, and Pullinger rolling. • Thursday, Messrs. Minter and Jacques straights. Scott, Sykes, and McOnie rolling. Friday, very windy. Saturday, Messrs. Irwing and Nethersole circuits and half-circuits. Messrs. Adams, Scott, Minter, Sykes, Wood, Pullinger, and McOnie rolling and straights. Sunday, Mr. Nethersole circuits and eights and practising landing on the mark, Ruffy-Baumann School.—Last Sunday week, on 60 R.B., Mathewson (5 mins.), Sykes (8), Bell (10). On 50 h.p. Caudron type : Bell (6), England (4), Cole (6). Sykes (6). One passenger. ® ® CORRESPONDENCE:. National Insurance Against Aircraft Raids. [1904] We are quite in sympathy with your efforts to make damage by enemy aircraft a national liability, but the problem is not quite so simple as it appears. Sufferers by enemy operations are many, and if one class of victims is indemnified by the State, the others will legitimately ask why they should be left to shift for themselves. Ship-owners may well complain about increased premiums if property owners on land pay nothing for the privilege of sending the Government a bill for a new roof or a dead cow. Much as it may be to the interest of the ship-owner to keep his vessels at work, it is vital to the nation that there Should be no stoppage. Many a line man in Kitchener's Army, after sacrificing a good income, is paying a heavy war extra for life insurance, because he dreads leaving his family to exist on compensation based on the needs of a labourer. Numbers of regular officers have dropped policies because the extra premium was beyond their means. Aviators cannot obtain insurance at any price. Then there is the vast host whose business has been chopped off by the war. All these classes have been hit by the enemy. Although the blow did not fall from the sky in the middle of the night, it is felt just the same. Many of them have nothing to fear from Zeppelins, and unless we have State compensation all round, they are entitled to protest at having to bear the burdens of others in addition to their own. Whether Lloyd's underwriters have, as you say, pocketed many thousands of pounds of easily earned premiums remains to be decided. An extensive raid may easily bring in sufficient claims to present a very different picture. The fact that tariff companies have refused aircraft risks proves that the strongest combinations regard the business as too hazardous. Limited powers probably have something to do with it, as you point out, but that obstacle would not remain long if the companies really thought the business tempting. In the face of this, credit must be ® ® The Tragedy of Sub-Lieut. Warneford. ELSEWHERE in this issue we refer to the loss sustained by the Flying Services and the nation by the death of Flight Sub-Lieut. Warneford, and below we briefly record the facts regarding the fatal accident. It appears that the deceased officer had gone to Buc on the 17th inst. to test a new biplane, and took up an American journalist, Mr. Henry Beach Needham, who had asked to be taken as a pas senger. When flying at a height of 700 ft. the machine, while making a sharp right-hand turn, was struck by a gust of wind, and side-slipped. The pilot and passenger, not being strapped to their seat, were thrown out, and the machine crashed to the ground. Mr. Needham was killed on the spot, and Lieut. Warneford died while being taken to the British Military Hospital at Versailles, in the car of Mme. de la Roche. On Monday afternoon, Lieut. Warneford's body was brought to England, and on the following day was buried in Brompton Cemetery, full naval honours being rendered by the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Naval Division. A vast crowd, besides his mother, sisters, and other members of the family, attended the last rites to the dead V.C. Previous to the funeral, Mrs. Corkery, mother of Flight Sub- Lieut. Warneford, V.C., received the following telegram :— " The King and Queen have received with deep regret the news JUNE 25, 1915. Wednesday last week, on the 60 R.B. : MacBeane (8 mins.), Crawford (12), Fenning (11), Sykes (10), Dixon (10), Robertson (10), and Perrins (6). On 50 Caudron type: Bell (10), Crawford (6), Fenning (9), England (5), Wilson (6), and Wallis (3). Thursday, one passenger. Balfour (10 mins.) on R.B. Saturday, on 60 h.p. R.B. : Balfour (6 mins.), Wilson (6), Boisson (5), Hudson (7), two passengers. On 50 Caudron type : Balfour (8), May (6), England (7), Sykes (6), and Bell (10), Sunday last, on 60 R.B. : Cole (6 mins.), Wilson (io), Brand (10), and Balfour (15). On 50 Caudron type: Cole (6), Wilson (6), England (6), Sykes (6), Brand (6), and Balfour (10). The week was an exceptionally good one, the weather being favourable. Instructors : Edward Baumann, Felix Ruffy, Gino Virgilo, and Clarence Winchester. ® ® given to the underwriters for their courage and initiative in offering the public a protection unobtainable elsewhere. A Government scheme will steady the market. This was un doubtedly of great benefit in the early days of the war. Premiums for marine insurance came down with a run when the Government undertook the risk. But to-day, Lloyd's rate is cheaper and the policy more comprehensive than that of the Government. Apart from other questions, the difficulties facing a Government insurance scheme are tremendous. A vessel at the bottom of the sea is finished with, it is simply a question of passing over a cheque. But a factory with a hole through it or a residence with the piano scorched and some antiques burned means trouble. This is: not altered by the fact that some vessels get back to port partly damaged. Values are more easily ascertained in marine business. The happiest solution we can see is a combination of the suggested remedies. Let the Government stand the firsts too or ^200; fix a rate for insuring property above that value ; and agree to indemnify the underwriters and the companies if claims exceed a fixed sum. This would safeguard the very poor; keep premiums down, and relieve the Government of unnecessary work at a time when they want all their energies for warfare. VARNIER AND CO. Windsor House, Kingsway, W.C., June 21st. [As our articles have indicated, we do not contend necessarily for a free insurance, but would be content to see the Government take the whole subject in hand from a national point of view, thereby regulating the premium to a proper figure. Our correspondents make several good points, but the question of aircraft insurance is upon a different footing, to our mind, to the special cases instanced. Were th; Government to take entire responsibility, the moral effect upon the people would more than justify any cost, especially as we believe the amount of damage likely to accrue in the aggregate is not likely to be really serious, comparatively with other war liabilities. It is in any case very satisfactory to note from official statements that the Government will compensate for damage, &c, done by aircraft up to June 16th, and that it has now been definitely decided to inaugurate some form of national aircraft risk insurance. We await the details of the scheme with much interest.—ED.] ® ® of the death of your son, on whom His Majesty so recently con ferred the Victoria Cross. Their Majesties much deplore the loss of so gallant an officer, and desire me to convey to you the expression of their sincere sympathy with you in the irreparable loss you have sustained. " KEEPER OF THE PRIVY PURSE, " Buckingham Palace." To this Mrs. Corkery replied :— M Mrs. Corkery presents her loyal duty to their Majesties the King and Queen, and begs to express her deepest gratitude for their Majesties' telegram of sympathy, with which she is greatly touched. Mrs. Corkery is proud that her son's life has been laid down for his King and country." In addition Mrs. Corkery also received from H.M. Queen Alexandra an expression of sincere condolence in her great grief. On Wednesday evening Mrs. Corkery received from the Admiralty the Victoria Cross, which had been awarded to her son, accompanied by the following sympathetic remarks :— " Their lordships deeply deplore the sad occurrence which has prevented your son from being personally invested with this decoration by His Majesty, and they desire to record their high appreciation of the signal service rendered by him and their sense of the great loss sustained by the death of this intrepid young officer, following as it did so shortly after the brilliant achievement which will always be associated with his name." 454
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
