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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0454.PDF
[jycfiT The First Meeting of the New Air Board at Carlton House Terrace.—Lord Curzon, the President, and Lord Northcliffe, who attended to give his views, arriving. If the work accomplished in the near future by the Air Board is in any way comparable with the programme sketched out by Lord Curzon, we shall indeed have to be thankful for the past agitation which has led up to this much more satisfactory state of affairs. When the President came to more detailed dissection of the work in contemplation by the Board, he touched upon a very big subject which has in it the elements of much trouble. This thorny point was the institution of a national factory, the suggestion being certainly qualified by the opinion that it would be absolutely dangerous for the Government to rush to a conclusion in this connection. That the industry so newly and rapidly created to the salvation of the country should be garrotted out of exist ence by the institution of a single Government factory is unthinkable. From a national point of view under those conditions there would be the ever-existing danger of falling behind other countries in peace times in main taining efficiency. What the effect of that would be when war once more threatened is not pleasant to con template. To private enterprise, brains and compeiition the present state of strength is undeniably due. To crush individual thought and hamstring progress by placing upon our chances of Aerial Supremacy the fetters of official inoertia in the form of a hide-bound Govern ment factory, would probably be about the most un wise course to pursue. The country has in the past had private firms entirely to thank for the supply of " the goods " necessary to maintain Britain in its world- power position, and it is only by generous encouragement, to the good of the Empire and the entire world, both in JUNE I, 1916. times of peace and strife, that this country can hope to be in the position at a moment's notice to meet the demand for maintaining that premier position indefinitely. It is to be hoped that the President of the Air Board will always have permanently in mind the danger as expressed by him during his House of Lords speech of any such departure. That there is room for the most elaborate and extensive Government organisation for practical re search ard experiment there is no manner of doubt. But the commercial side of aircraft should be non-existent as a Government department. There reed be no fear of unduly inflated cost. Already so many leading firms are in the industry for good that competition will auto matically regulate this side of the question, and moreover will encourage and develop progress by the employment of the best brains obtainable, to go one better each time in attempting to attain more and mere efficiency in lift, speed and every other desirable factor in arriving at that ultimate control in the air which will lead to the widest possible use of the aeroplane, outside the realm altogether of military aeronautics, for commercial and other purposes in the years to come. •«• * • Following the announcement of the full ^he composition of the Air Board, no time was Air Board. 'ost m commencing operations. At the first meeting, on Friday last, at the offices in Carlton House Terrace, all the members were present, and both the secretaries were in attendance. By the inclusion of Rear-Admiral Vaughan-Lee as Second Naval Member, and of Brig-General Brancker as the The First Meeting of the New Air Board.—Rear-Admiral Tudor (on right), and Rear-Admiral Vaughan-Lee.
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