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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0885.PDF
JULY 3, ANOTHER^historical fact to be recorded for all time to the credit of aeronautical progress is the sending on Saturday, from Paris to London, by aeroplane—an Airco 4A—the Prime Minister's message to King George announcing the signature of the Peace Treaty. It was written at 4 p.m., in the Salle des Glaces, on the plain Congress notepaper. Accord ing to The Londoner, at 5.15 Mr. Bonar Law and Mr. J. C. Davidson, carrying the message, went up at Le Buc. In spite of head winds and a rough passage, they were—thanks to'the skill of their pilot, Lieutenant Powell—at Kenley at 7.30. From Kenley Mr. Bonar Law and Mr. Davidson drove in a car to Downing Street. Mr. Davidson then continued Irs journey alone through the crowds to the Palace, which was reached at 8.25. At 8.30 the message was handed to His Majesty, who questioned Mr. Davidson with much interest on the details of this speedy and interesting flight. KING ALBERT OF BELGIUM has throughout the War, in which he took so active a part, shown increasing interest in the aeroplane as an everyday means of travel. He has now, according to the African World, marked the same keen sense of future success in the air by providing a special fund of £80,000 for the purchase of 15 seaplanes of different types as an experimental mail and passenger service in connection with the opening up of the Congo. IT was a pretty idea for the one and only " flag-day "— Rose-Day—which the public are now inclined to willingly tolerate, to be marked by the dropping of a magnificent " aerial " bouquet from a Handley Page for presentation to Queen Alexandra. Quite an elaborate scheme with rose bouquets attached to aeroplanes had been worked out in connection with Marlborough House, but this had to be abandoned, and the promoters rest content with dropping one for the Queen in Hyde Park, whence it was conveyed to Marlborough House by motor car. IT is, however, a far cry from a graceful little tribute like this to sending choice specimen flowers by plane for exhibition —and f01? .competitive purposes at that—to the- United States as suggested by Mr. F. Herbert Chapman, a Fellow of the R.H.S., in the Press. Mr. Chapman's suggestion is that: " Among other important possibilities of an^aeroplane service to America will be the conveyance of flowers and plants for exhibition. Hitherto it has been impossible to exhibit new and choice flowers raised here at the American shows, but there are certain classes of flowers that would keep well in the cut state, even if out of water on the journey, and would then 'come up smiling' at an American show after the short period of an aeroplane passage." Mr. Chapman thinks that " It is a great, important, and far-reaching prospect to plant breeders on both sides of the Atlantic." And we can believe it, but for many Treasons, New York will, we fancy, still have to wait a little. Before it gets English-grown blooms on show the day of cutting. WE are glad to be able, upon the authority of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Chamberlain, to correct the figures regarding the cost of Air Ministry motor cars, which has been put by the Committee upon National Expenditure at the bagatelle of £2,700 per annum per touring car. Although most of the staff for whose use the cars have been necessary are thoroughly entitled to have automobile facilities for carrying out their onerous work, the sum named for main tenance is distinctly steep. Mr. Chamberlain has now stated at Edinburgh, that, having inquired into the facts, the real cost of each car works out at about £599. Even granting the extra odd £1 to bring the item to even money, this would not appear to be a very out-of-the-way cost for upkeep of a powerful car. But it would be as well if these new figures were backed by something more than mere statement, having regard to the original source of the estimates of the costs. Either Mr. Chamberlain should give bell and book for^his correction, or it will be up to the Committee on National Expenditure to^explain how they came to have their legs pulled so badly. " GOING AWAY " BY AEROPLANE.—The wedding of Miss Standen and Mr. Hamilton at Chorley Wood last week, when the bride and bridegroom travelled by aeroplane for their honeyxnoon to Fowey, Cornwall. In the photograph the Avro is just about to depart. 885
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