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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0427.PDF
APRIL 15, 1920 ON Monday night the " Army and Air Force (Annual)Bill " was in Parliament read a second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. This second reading isadmittedly a purely formal proceeding, and practically all discussion is closured. But why should the Air Force bemixed up with the Army in this conection any more than the Navy is ? It is surely time the Air Force proceeded upon itsown. Here again comes in the absurdity, not to say danger, of the one Minister job for Army and Air Force. How willit work out presently when the Air Force is, as it undoubtedly will be, top dog and the Army more or less of a secondaryarm to the strategy of the air ? We wonder. That the gap between the prime interests of the two must become evergreater and greater is a foregone conclusion, and the sooner the anomalous position of a single Head for both is amended,the better for the Empire. WE note that Viscount Haldane in the House of Lords is on enquiry bent upon the subject of the general policy of the Committee of Imperial Defence and its relation to theWar Staffs of the Navy, Army and Air Force. We hope the dual Ministry farce will have a prominent place in any questionraised thereon. ONE very up-to-date item in the welcoming of our Prince ofWales to California was indulged in at San Diego. In addition to the presence of half-a-dozen American destroyersdown the Californian coast, a fleet of 15 seaplanes were told off to manoeuvre round the Renown. This contingent wasafterwards joined by over a dozen military aeroplanes, the two fleets flying above the Prince's ship in arrow-head forma-tion with trailing Stars and Stripes and Union Jacks. Then followed, on land, the usual reception, and, by way of aninformal guard of honour, a goodly gathering of British ex-soldiers, including several Flying Corps men. were linedup in front of the cheering crowd on the water front. Naturally our " chief ambassador " had to speak, as described by acorrespondent, " without alluding to politics, with four A Nieuport " NIGHTHAWK " in India. During the later part of last year the British Nieuport Co. sent a Mission out to India, where some excellent propaganda work was done. The Mission was under the leadership of Capt. R. S. Carroll, who had with him Lieut. J. H. James, one of the Nieuport test pilots. On arriving in Bombay the " Nighthawk " was uncrated and erected in record time, and was soon to be seen flying over Bombay. While in India a great number of flights were made, among others one from Bombay to Poona with a load of newspapers. Our photographs show : 1. Getting ready at Bombay for the flight to Poona. 2. The arrival of the newspapers at Poona. 3. The machine just after arrival at Poona. On the left is Lieut. James, and on the right Capt. Carroll. The Nieuport caused great interest throughout the districts visited, and its handling was much admired. During the next few years India should offer a good field for commercial aviation, and Major Heckstall .Smith is to be congratulated on his enterprise in introducing the Nieuport machine to the residents of India. 427
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