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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1009.PDF
JULY 3I( I9I9 Maj. Scott and the Crew of R 34." Thanks to the Air Ministry, the Chairman said, there was no stagnation in the flying world, such as was thought would be the case before the War. That Ministry had been of great use ever since it came into existence. It had done extraordinarily well, and it was far from being unpopular. Obviously no private concern could have developed flying in the way it had been developed by a Government department. The Club being the head of Aerial Sport, no better body could be found to organise a banquet of welcome to those who had carried out the ad venture of R 34, as if there was anything more sporting than this feat he was not aware of it. Through the wireless com munication they knew every movement of the airship, and the public excitement was kept at a tremendous pitch. " Your joys were our joys," continued the Chairman ; " your sorrows were our sorrows, and when things were thought to be going wrong you had the prayers and the sympathy of both sides of the Atlantic." We always hoped for the best, and we were most grateful to the American cruisers that went out to help the airship. The achievement of R 34 would ever stand out in history as one of the greatest feats of skill, daring, and endurance that had ever been performed. The War had given the Air Force its chance, and made it what it was. When Zeppelins visited this country and our airmen saw women and children being massacred, they put their shoulders to the wheel, and showed that by working together in a spirit of comradeship there was nothing this nation could not do if it tried. They ought to be able to prevent war in the future. Had Lord Kitchener a few aero planes at Khartoum or Omdurman we should not have had to trudge many weary miles over sands, but we would have settled the whole of the trouble in two or three hours. They had to thank R 34 for bringing America closer to us. If anything was going to keep up the spirit of friendship and brotherhood between England and America, and make them remember the lessons of the trenches, he was certain it was the voyage of R 34. On behalf of the Royal Aero Club he congratulated the officers and the crew on their splendid feat, also the designers and builders of the ship, from the drawing office to the workshop. In supporting the toast, the American Ambassador said he felt that he was addressing the most distinguished company that had ever visited the United States. Their place in history was secure and fixed as only a place could be fixed for those who, for the first time, did something great in the history of mankind. They had crossed the Atlantic, and doubled their tracks and returned to the country from which they came. In all the rolling years that could never be done for the first time again. Language failed him, as it would fail anybody, adequately to express the admiration they felt at the gallantry of the men who undertook the feat ; nor did he believe that any could appreciate the new era in science •that was now opened in front of them. For centuries men had waited to fly across the sea, yet now the Atlantic had been crossed three times in three months, and recrossed for the first time. He had read in a recent article a quotation written by Horace Walpole, who said :—" Three more balloons have gone up in the last week, and now at last we have an aeriarnavy.so what matters the loss of the command to America of the sea ?" Just why the writer thought the British were losing command of the sea he did not know, but if they lost it they promptly recovered it. That was written 150 years ago, when a great feat was performed and three air balloons had ascended ; but a century and a half passed before aerial traffic came into general use. The Atlantic had been crossed, but the Pacific remained. He confidently expected that somebody would one day leave London and never alight again until he had flown round the earth. If the engine were fast enough and the speed great enough a man would leave London on a Wednesday and get home on Tuesday in the same week. That might be the secret of perpetual youth. He could not but think of the Zeppelin and contrast the use the Germans made of it, and the use Britain had made of it. The Germans used it to carry disease, destruction, and death among a peaceful population of non-combatants ; a message of destruction to quiet, slumbering homes. Great Britain had used it to send across the sea a message of amity and goodwill and friendship among the nations. That message went home to the hearts of the American people, and he spoke advisedly in their name when he said in all earnestness that it did mark the drawing together of these people and mark the diminution of the space that divided them. It also symbolised the wonderful approach of their thoughts and sentiments that the four years of conflict had brought. It must unite people so close in heart and sentiment, and that union would afford to the world the best hope and prospect of enduring peace and happiness. The one complaint he made about the achievement was that they did not tarry longer, but when the experiment was repeated he promised them at all times a cordial and friendly reception. Maj.-Gen. Seely, also supporting the toast, said that the voyage across the Atlantic and back was a glorious achieve- 1 1 If * * Up: 5 W m, . •* • . -, ft I Tf *t? | 1 m 0 ,. 4* zjt- «<t • p r, > 1 1 «? w # if j%» .»<- % m% # * %i *• v*> tf ^ : ** A 3^S 4m t JSb 9 yf ,•#* m # if* f T7 , 4 t « • > "Flight" Copyrighr R 34 OFFICERS AND CREW AT THE ROYAL AERO CLUB BANQUET: Brii*.-Gen. Maitland and Maj. G. H. Scott are in the centre, supported by Maj. Pritchard, Maj. Cook, Capt. Greenland, Capt. Harris, Lieut. Shotter, Lieut. Luck, and Lieut. Durrant. IOI I
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