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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0876.PDF
(/uGHT rivalry was introduced in the tug-of-war between picked teams of Whitehead's and Sopwith's. The latter team put in an appearance somewhat late, but were with sportsmanlike good feeling waited for by their rivals. They arrived to win, and surely to complete a team exhibiting such an immense amount of flesh and muscle even such a large factory as Sopwith's must have been winnoed clean. Whitehead's men put every ounce of which they Were possessed into the struggle, but avoirdupois told, and the Hanworth men were slowly but surely drawn to that point where the judge raises his right hand as a sign that all is over. A concert by the Whitehead Aerodrome Musical Society, AUGUST 23, 1917. held in the big erecting shop, brought to a close a veiy interesting and enjoyable day. The results of some of the principal events are returned as under :—100 Yards Flat : Northover, 1 ; C. Doubtfire, i 220 Yards Handicap : J. Corbett, 1 ; F. A. Bass, 2. 440 Yards Handicap : Northover (14 yards), I ; C. Doubtfiro (scratch), 2. Tag-of-war, Whitehead's v._ Sopwith's : Sop- with's won. Mile Relay Race : Erectors, Hanworth, 1 ; Fitters, 2. Cigarette Race : E. Tugwell and M. Williams, 1 , C. Baker and C. Gale, 2. Veterans' 100 Yards Handicap W. Taylor, 1 ; Small, 2. Marathon Race : J. W. Martin, I , B. May, 2. LEGAL INTELLIGENCE, Admiralty Contracts for Aircraft. AT BOW Street Police Court on August 17th, before Sir John Dickinson, the hearing Was resumed of the case in which W. A. Casson and Wing-Commander J. C. Porte, R.N.A.S., are charged with having conspired together and with Lyman J. Seeley and other persons to contravene the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1006, in respect of sums amounting to about ^48,000 received by Porte, an agent of the Crown, in respect of contracts made between the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and the Curtiss Aeroplane Co. of New York. Commander Porte was again absent through illness. After evidence as to various contracts with the Curtiss Co. had been given by Mr. Arthur Smallwood, Assistant Director of Contracts at the Admiralty, the Attorney-General said he proposed to put in as evidence the exhibits of the statements made by the defendants before the committee of enquiry appointed by the then First Lord of the Admiralty (Sir E. Carson), and presided over by Mr. Butcher, K.C. Mr. Muir, representing Commander Porte, submitted that there Was no proof that the statement made by Commander Porte to the Committee was a voluntary one, and that in the absence of such evidence it was not admissible in law. So far from Commander Porte's statement having been a voluntary one, he had been practically under compulsion as a naval officer to attend the enquiry, and he was subjected to examination as a hostile witness—in other words, as a person to Whom suspicion attached. Mr. Patrick Hastings, who represented Casson, put forward similar arguments. In replying for the Crown, Sir A. Bodkin said that Casson, Who was himself a barrister, had never raised any objection to giving information to the Committee and had not declined to answer th.e Committee's questions, so that he was to all intents and purposes a voluntary witness. Sir John Dickinson said he had come clearly to the con- clusion that the statements made by the defendants to the Committee could be legally received as evidence, and he there- fore admitted them. Further evidence was given by Mr. E. T. Stainforth, a member of the Stock Exchange, and Mr. E. More, manager of a stock-broking firm, as to investments made in the names of Porte and Casson in T915—16—17. At the resumed hearing on the following day, Sir Francis Hopwood, until recently Civil Lord of the Admiralty, gave evidence. He said Lieut. Nielson's statement after his return from the United States was the first he had hea«l of commissions in connection with these contracts. Up to then he had not heard of Lyman J. Seeley, but later Seeley called to see him and discussed the subject. Witness . understood from Seeley that under certain arrangements made at an earlier period between Seeley and Curtiss, the former received a small salary plus 1 per cent. ; but when, in consequence of the outbreak of war, increased business appeared to be imminent, certain further arrangements were made under which the commission was increased to 16 per cent. Sir A. Bodkin : Did he say on what that commission Was payable ?—Yes. Putting it generally, he said it was on sales of the company's products—certainly in Great Britain, and, I rather think, in Europe, with the exception of Russia. Did he say whether the commission was on sales generally or-**£hly on sales effected through his agency ?—He was, according to his account, sales agent, and the commission was payable to him as such. I put it to him that he must have received a very considerable sum of money in com- mission, and. to that he assented. I said something to the A Parachute Episode. - ^ r T^C;^- AN incident recorded by Mr. Henry Wood, the United Press correspondent with the French Armies at Verdun, empha- sises the need for the use of the best design of parachutes for escaping from kite-balloons. He says :— effect that it most have run into six figures. He remarked that he had not drawn by any means all of it, but was leaving it deposited in the United States. Did you ask him What had been done with any of the money so remitted ?—I asked him whether he had retained the remitted money for his own use or whether he had parted with any of it to other people, particularly servants of the Crown. He. replied, " Most certainly not," and said he regarded it as his own under his sales agreement. Did he mention any arrangement that had been made between himself and Casson ?—He said he had come to the conclusion that -it was exceedingly likely that Mr. Curtiss had entered into what he called a secondary agreement with Casson, and that on that account he (Seeley) had felt it desir- able ia his own interests to come to an arrangement with Casson for the division of his extra 15 per cent. On October 30th, 1916, Casson, in company with Seeley, called on witness, and recited the arrangement with Seeley as to the "division of the 15 per cent, commission in equal shares, and gave witness to understand that he received his share through Seeley, by virtue of an agreement between the Curtiss Co. and Seeley. Witness suggested to Seeley that the total commission must have amounted to over £100,000, and asked him if he had parted with any of'his share of the money to any servant of the Crown, particularly Commander Porte, and he replied in the negative, saying most distinctly that no one but himself had any rights in the 7J per cent. Seeley was present throughout the interview, and did not dissent from anything Casson said, nor, on the other hand, did Casson dissent from anything Seeley said. Seeley tried to make a point of the commission being only 15 per cent, whereas in the trade the usual commission under sales agree- ments was 25 per cent. Seeley also said that Capt. Elder, who represented the Admiralty in America, knew that the commissions were being paid. In connection with the fact that when the Admiralty settled their new contract with the Curtiss Co. a clause was inserted prohibiting the payment of any commissions, both Casson and Seeley appealed to witness to waive that prohibitive clause, and he was obliged to decline absolutely to do so. Mr. Muir intimated that Commander Porte was so far improved in health that he hoped to be able to be present next week, as he was most anxious to be, to hear read over ^ the evidence which had been given in his absence. Sir A. Bodkin suggested that that course would be un- necessary, and that it might be obviated by Commander Porte bemg supplied -with a copy of the depositions. Sir John Dickinson agreed, and Mr. Muir accepted the proposal on the distinct understanding that his client should not be in any way prejudiced by the circumstance that he had been prevented by illness from attending to hear the evidence in person. Several witnesses were briefly examined as to the banking accounts of Seeley, Casson and Porte at various banks, and Sir A. Bodkin said that closed the case for the prosecution. Sir John Dickinson said Casson would be committed to take his trial at the Central Criminal Court, the same bail as before being accepted for his appearance. Mr. Hastings said he would reserve his defence. A legal discussion ensued as to the course to be adopted in regard to Porte, owing to his enforced absence, Mr. Muir contending that he must either be committed for trial or have the summons against him dismissed, but eventually it was decided that the summons against him should stand adjourned sine die, the question whether he should be proceeded against under the Vexatious Indictments Act being left open. --.-. " A German aeroplane attacked a French ' sausage,' whose observer leaped out ; but the parachute caught the edge of the basket, leaving him suspended hundreds of feet above the earth, where a German aviator machine-gunned him. His comrades, however, hauled down .the ' sausage,' and released him unharmed." 876
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