FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0814.PDF
\fiJSHf] SEPTEMBER 21 1916* HAVE you ever heard the tale of the old iron pot ? No. You mustn't say " No," and you mustn't say you " Don't know," and you mustn't say you " Don't remember." In fact, you mustn't say anything. It's simply the tale of the old iron pot, and there is no getting away from it. Now, with regard to getting away from it, there is something that whacks the old iron pot into tiny fragments. Are you in possession of any invention, or process or method of manufacture, or any article manu factured or proposed to be manufactured ? If so, you are in a bad way, for you must to the authorities furnish drawings, models, plans, and explain and demonstrate the same to such person appointed, in all or any of its uses and workings. " And if any person fails or neglects to comply . . ." Well, may your Patroa Saint help you. Have you any document, note, photograph, sketch, plan, design, model, pattern, specimen, and all the rest of the words in the dictionary ? Then you have piled up for yourself a lot of trouble. For a solution to all this pother you should turn to a special supplement to the London Gazette which v has been issued, containing additions to the regula tions under the Defence of the Realm Act, where you will find it set out under Clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), and with an introduction as follows :— " If any person having in his possession or under his control any document, note, photograph, sketch, plan, design, model, pattern, specimen or article (including any key or other article affording means of access to information) of such a nature as is cal culated to be, or might be, directly or indirectly useful to the enemy . . ." That sounds drastic enough, doesn't it ? Almost terrible enough to make one think of destroying any incriminating evidence. But, steady ! You must do none of that. Here is Clause (a), which follows the drastic introduction above :—". . . without lawful authority destroys, makes away with, or allows any person to inspect or to be in possession of such document, note, photograph, sketch, plan, design, model, pattern, specimen, or article as afore said ; or . . ." Oh, dear no ! You can't get rid of it by the simple process of losing it like a yellow dog, You're up against Clause (b) then, which says :—". . . loses, fails to take reasonable care of, or so conducts himself as to endanger the safe custody of, such document, note, photograph, sketch " (and most of the other words in the dictionary) " or article as aforesaid; or . . ." What, you will have to keep it then ? Well, I'm afraid you will get into trouble if you do, because Clause (c) says :—". . . retains such document, note, photograph " (and all I have chronicled before), " or articles as aforesaid in his possession or control when he has no right to retain it, or when it is contrary to his duty to retain it ; or . . ." And so to Clause (d) :—". . . fails to comply with any directions issued by lawful authority with regard to the custody, production, or the return of such document, note, photograph, sketch," and all the rest of it, and a bit more if possible, " or article as aforesaid ; he shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations, and if any person without lawful authority or excuse, has in his possession or under his control any document, note," &c, &c, &c, and so forth and so on, " or article as aforesaid, he shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations." Now you will thoroughly understand it, and see that if you have any documents, notes, photographs, sketches, &c, &c. (try another dictionary), in your possession, you'll have to turn them all out. There's going to be a sort of kit inspection on a magnificent scale. You will notice it says :—". . . of such a nature as is calculated to be, or might be, directly or in directly useful to the enemy." That reaches a long way ; a very long way. In fact, I am not quite sure how far it does reach. There are those old photographs, sketches, &c, &c, that you took on the east coast four years ago when on your holidays. What are you going to do about it ? They certainly might be of use directly or indirectly to the enemy. All those sketches, plans, drawings, blue-prints, designs, calculations, &c., &c, of the 'bus you are building, or going to build, or thinking of building, or might build. Out they will all have to come to the broad light of day. There is no bilking it. The fiat hath gone forth in the quoted words as above, and there is going to be trouble in the camps, for nobody can tell for certain just what it embraces ; as a fact, it appears on the surface to embrace every thing, Ab ovo usque ad mala. As I have said, this business is very far-reaching. From the cephalic region, reach tentacles penetrating into the utmost cavities of private and public life. Read this again :—". . . of such a nature as is calculated to be, or might be, directly or indirectly of use to the enemy." I do not suppose it is intended that it shall be so all-embracing as appears, but that it could be, the order of the phrasing leaves no shadow of a doubt. Reading it en bloc, it would appear that the authorities are desirous of having the benefit of any invention emanating from the brain of the private individual; past experience points a rather steady finger to fact in that inventors and their inventions have received scant encouragement to lay the result of their working before those able to use all good 810
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
