FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0294.PDF
MARCH II, 1920 '- CORRESPONDENCE [The Editor does rut hold himself responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters intended for insertion in these columns.] value or proved worth in any branch of science or industry. I shall much appreciate help of this kind which any of your readers may be able to.give. -^"f^st''; •-'•-•''I. '%:"' -'.'H R. A. GREGORY LIBERTY LEAGUE [2002] We address you as representatives of a vast number of our countrymen upon a matter of vital importance to the nation. An association has been formed under the title of the Liberty League, the object of which is to combat the advance of Bolshevism in the United Kindgom and throughout the Empire. Under various forms and names, and by dint of the most insidious propaganda—cleverly organised and plentifully supplied with funds—everywhere this abominable creed is being preached. We feel it our duty not to let it spread unchecked. Bolshevism is the reverse of all that mankind has built up of good by nearly two thousand years of effort. It is the Sermon on the Mount writ backward. It has led to bloodshed and torture, rapine and destruction. It repudiates God, and would build its own throne upon the basest passions of mankind. There are some misguided people of righteous instincts in this country who believe in Bolshevism ; there are others who have been influenced by secret funds ; there are many who hope to fish in its bloodstained waters. We, the undersigned, and those we represent, being assured that if it is allowed to conquer it will mean in the end the destruction of individual rights, the family, the nation, and the whole British Commonwealth, together with the handing over of all we hold sacred into the power of those foes who stand behind and perhaps have fashioned this monstrous organisation, appeal through you to the people of the Empire to aid in expelling its doctrines from their midst. If this is to be done, as a preliminary step there must be counter-organisation and money at hand. The first we hope to be able to supply ; the second we ask you to help us to obtain. We desire in a clean and open fashion to fight what we believe to be a great and terrible evil, by means of letting light into its dark places. We believe in the old adage—that the Truth is great and will prevail; but we believe also that this light should not be hid under a bushel. We are certain that at bottom the British workman is sound and upright, and that he does not desire to see in England, that ancient home of liberties, such conditions as prevail in Russia. We ask you and all the Press and all right-minded men and women throughout the Empire, all too who profess any form of religious faith, or look-onward to higher things, to help us in our effort. Your obedient servants, H. RIDER HAGGARD . . , . RUDYARD KIPLING . SYDENHAM "'-"'..'. - • H. BAX-IRONSIDE *-•- ; - ' '-.--- JOHN HANBURY WILLIAMS •„.'.-,. : - ALGERNON MAUDSLAY '••*- G. MAITLAND-EDWARDS 17, Bruton Street, Mayfair, W. Donations to the Liberty League—the whole of which will be devoted to purposes of counter-Bolshevist propaganda —may be sent to the hon. organiser, Lieut.-Col. Maitland- Edwards, D.S.O., 17, Bruton Street, Mayfair, W., or to the National Provincial and Union Bank of England, Savoy Court, Strand, London. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL BOOKS [2003] One part of the descriptive catalogue of the British Scientific Products Exhibition, organised by the British Science Guild last year, was devoted to selected lists of books on science and technology. The Guild has been asked to extend these lists, so as to include not only all branches of science—both biological and physical—but also the chief technical subjects. It has undertaken to do this ; and a committee, of which I am chairman, has been appointed to prepare such a catalogue. The lists will be limited to books of British origin actually in current catalogues of the publishers, so that they can be obtained in the usual way through booksellers. School- books and elementary manuals will not be included, and the general standard will be that of college courses in scientific and technical subjects, or of works' libraries. Each list will be submitted to authorities upon the subject with which it deals, but in order to secure that no important work is omitted, the Committee invites the assistance of everyone interested in its task. Such aid may be afforded by sending (to the British Science Guild, 6, John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C. 2) lists or single titles of British books of standard PARACHUTES [2004] In his letter of February 26, Col. Holt states that my opinions would carry even greater weight were I not in the service of the Calthorpe Co. As my letter was an in- vitation to test my pulse-rate when making descents with different types of parachutes, I take it that Col. Holt does not imagine that my obligations to my employers could possibly affect my pulse-rate. I challenged Col. Holt (who has already expressed his willingness to make a drop with his own parachute) or any- one else for that matter, to submit ourselves to psychological tests before making a descent with a Guardian Angel type and any other type parachute respectively. I also challenged anyone to make a lower drop with any other type of parachute than we will with the Guardian Angel. Throughout this correspondence, Col. Holt seems to have overlooked the fact that there are several makes of para- chutes on the market in America which operate on the same principle as his auto-chute. They are all packed on the aviator's back in a knapsack kept closed by a clip and pin. The latter is extracted in mid air by tugging at a ring on one's chest, which forms the extremity of a short wire passing over the shoulder. This is exactly the same method of release as the original French Robert " a dos " parachute. All these American types have a small pilot parachute. In two of them the pilot parachute has positive opening, but not the main parachute. Five human drops have been made with one of them, but the free fall, after liberation of the pilot parachute, varied considerably. On the fifth drop the parachute opened with the rigging lines tangled and fell about 400 ft. before it fully opened. The drops were made by Messrs. Irving, Floyd-Smith, Russell, Higgins and Sergt. Bottreill, all from 2,000 (two thousand) ft. with engine throttled. Our challenge to drop at less than that height not being accepted, we dropped at 250 ft. at full speed in a Guardian Angel by way of comparison. Personally, I would much rather jump at 150 ft. in a Guardian Angel than in a pilot parachute type at any height. The idea of fumbling about for the ring and pulling it in mid air, is to my mind, too awful for words. It is my opinion that comparatively few people would have the presence of mind and self-control to operate such a parachute without considerable premeditation. The risk of premature operation, before actually quitting the machine, is also very considerable. Lallemand was killed in this way at Villa Coublay, when making his second jump with a Robert parachute. I know that in Col. Holt's system it is proposed to carry the pilot parachute in a wallet in front of the belt, but this seems to me even more objectionable psychologically than the Robert and American methods. I would say that my effort has been to give my views with complete detachment from my business interests, and that neither this nor my previous letter have been in any way con- trolled or inspired by my employers, who realise the vital importance of placing humane interests before commercial considerations, and who, ever since I have known them, officially and commercially, have done so. With regard to Col. Holt's remark that it does not seem to have occurred to any of your correspondents that it mfght be possible to introduce tangle-proof rigging into a free parachute of course, it is not only possible, but comparatively easy, but so far it has been done only in Guardian Angel parachutes. Col. Holt says no one in his senses disputes its necessity, then why is it that neither he nor any other inventor, except Col. Blackburn, has incorporated it in their specifications or products. The suction question is easily disposed of by sealing the vent with either a rupturable piece of paper internally or an elastic band externally ; but it does not matter how well the vent is sealed, the mouth must be open before the air can get into it and without positive opening there is no positive certainty that the mouth will open either early or late, or at all. March 3. T. ORDE LEES 294
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
