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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0336.PDF
' V. •: V ADifference in MAY 19, 1921 pay. The same is true, to a somewhat less extent, their way on passenger traffic alone during the summer of road transport. Assuming, as we are bound to do, months, an equivalent amount of goods and passenger that the same conditions affect aviation, we are traffic during the rest of the year would enable them forced back upon the conclusion that in order to make to stand on their own feet. In answer to this, it aerial services pay as an all-the-year-round proposi- must be remembered that there is a difference tion, it is goods traffic to which we must look mainly between merely paying and making a commercial for their support. profit such as will induce people with capital to come • <• * in with a view to extending existing services and When we speak of goods traffic we are instituting new ones. Where the shoe pinches at by no means thinking of leviathan the moment is in the matter of the very heavy machines, capable of carrying the overhead charges essential to the conduct of any Conditions carS° °f an Atlantic liner, but of service at all. For example, take ground staffs alone, practical loads as we are able to visualise At each terminal air port a staff of anything up to them in the light of present knowledge and develop- thirty men must be maintained whether the number of ment. Loads of from three to five tons are quite machines leaving and arriving daily is one or a practical even now, and we doubt not that before dozen. Obviously, if that number is twelve the long we shall have machines which are capable of expense incurred is only one-twelfth per trip in carrying as much as twenty tons. But it is not so comparison with the minimum of one machine per much the question of the carrying capacity of machines day, and if we are to see aerial transport brought with which'we are concerned, as of where such loads up to the level of other methods of transit, it is these as are practical are to be obtained. Obviously, heavy overhead charges which must be equalised, we cannot expect services to be maintained on mail The only way in which they can be satisfactorily carriage entirely. - Even if the postal authorities reduced is by obtaining more traffic and, conse- adopted the course we have so often urged, and put quently, running more and more machines on each the whole of the mail matter for the Continent into route. That is why it is so essential that there should the air, we should still be a long way off the volume be a concerted campaign to induce the commercial of traffic necessary to support such services as we community to make use of air services for the carriage must have if aviation is to take a serious place in of the lighter and more valuable classes of goods, the transport world. Where, then, is this traffic Properly conducted by men who know what they to be obtained ? We believe the answer to be quite are talking about, we believe such a campaign would simple in itself, but whether the whole solution is be highly successful. In any case, it is perfectly going to be as simple as the answer is a matter that plain that if commercial aviation is to be successful only time can decide. Now, there is an enormous parcel traffic between this country and the Continent, and we seriously suggest that if the great commercial houses, such as Harrods', Selfridges', Whiteleys' and others, were to go seriously into the question "of conducting the whole of their Continental parcels transport by air, we should at least have arrived at the beginning of the solution more " goods " traffic will have to be secured before the end of the present summer. In a long letter to The Times recently National Ml' Holt Thomas returns t0 nis idealCorporation °* a great national corporation to run the cross-Channel services, and to gener- for which we are looking. It should be urged upon ally put British civil aviation on its feet. It will be them that not only are the services perfectly safe— remembered that, in March last, Mr. Holt Thomas they have now more than two years of success behind put his idea before Lord Londonderry, who was at them to indicate that—but they possess advantages that time in charge of the Air Ministry in the absence far and away greater than other forms of transport, of Mr. Churchill, and actually received promises of It must surely appeal to them, if the case is properlv support from bankers, large trading corporations presented—as we have no doubt it will be that and financial institutions, who guaranteed to find parcels despatched from London or Paris can be at least £1,000,000 and to form a corporation whose delivered in the other capital in less than four hours directors should be men of the highest standing, and at little if any higher cost than by rail and steamer, who would act without remuneration. On the That must have a tremendous appeal to firms who adoption of the present temporary scheme of sub- have built up enormous connections by reason mainly sidies, Mr. Holt Thomas, as he says, regrettably felt of the facilities they possess for rapid delivery— himself compelled to withdraw the offer to form the for that is, when all is said and done, at the root of national corporation. He still thinks, however, the success of the big retail houses. that the money would be forthcoming again in a Naturally, the thing need not stop there. It will patriotic spirit for a really national company from extend in time to other houses and other descriptions which a solid national benefit would be obtained, of businesses, but it is to those we are discussing He writes, he says, .because he is afraid that in- that we look to give the thing a start. It goes valuable time is being lost, time which is vital if without saying that they must be properly approached, we are to regain the lead in the air which we once and the whole advantage of air transport brought had and have lost. He says that a national cor- home to them. If that is done, we believe that the poration seems, if a national subsidy is to be paid— outstanding advantages of aerial transport will before as it must be so long as foreign Governments are long come home to the commercial community in a way paying subsidies—the ideal way of furthering, not that will ensure permanent success to the movement only. British air services, but British design '.and generally and to the overseas services in particular. British construction. If such a corporation could ' - • • • be founded it would be a very great national ad- Where the In the foreS°^n§ we nave ^d stress vantage. Shoe Pinches upon t^ie necessity for securing a large In the main, we quite agree with Mr. Holt Thomas'svolume of traffic for the existing services, point of view, but we are not at all clear from hi sIt fhight be argued that if these services can pay letter to The Times what the position is at present 336
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