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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0598.PDF
'•-'•>-. SEPTEMBER 8, 1921 That the aeroplane will ever be able to progress from place to place without actual motive power is, of course, entirely out of the question. Even the large birds, which have been observed to maintain themselves in the air for hours almost without wing movement, are not able to progress in a desired direction without the employment of motive power. The point about bird-flight, however, is that progress can be made with the minimum expenditure of power-effort. In the case of the aeroplane the contrary is the case, inasmuch as propulsion entails the use of the maximum amount of power that can be made available. Therefore, the most we can expect from a solution of the problem of soaring flight is a marked reduction in the power-effort required, and it seems to us that the German demonstrations lead us in that direction. What we should now like to see carried out would be a series of careful experi- ments with machines similar to those used in the recent demonstrations but equipped with low- powered motors, say of about 4 to 5 h.p. It is more than likely that some rather astonishing results would be obtained. Even if the results were negative in their character we should at least know more about the problem than we do now. If the Air Ministry would actively interest itself in the matter it would encourage research along the lines which are being developed in Germany, with apparently conspicuous success. TheCross- ChannelAir Mails. It is with considerable satisfaction that we are able to record that as from the 1st inst. the parcels air mail to the Continent has been duplicated. In future there are to be two services daily, instead of one only as hitherto. The mail will be despatched from Croydon at 12.30 p.m., thus enabling parcels to be posted at certain offices in London on the morning of despatch up to the following times : G.P.O., 9.40 a.m. ; Lombard Street, 9.10 a.m. ; W.C. District Office, 9.55 a.m. ; Charing Cross, 10.25 am- ; S.E. District Office, 9 a.m. ; and Croydon Head Post-office, 10.40 a.m. This despatch will also enable parcels to be posted in certain provin- cial towns up till a later hour overnight than is now possible if connection is to be made with the existing despatch. A further evidence of advance on the part of the Post .Office is to be found in the notices issued from the G.P.O. in regard to speeding up letters by air- routes. Take by way of example the mails to Australia sent on Friday of last week by air-mail service to Paris : these secured connection with the s.s. " Ormonde " at Toulon, while Indian mails sent at the same time connected with the s.s. " Soudan " at Marseilles. While we are still a very long way from to the time in the very near future when there will be, not two, but twenty British air liners leaving Croydon every day for Paris and beyond. TheVoyage of the" Quest." It is possible that the voyage of the " Quest," under Sir Ernest Shackleton, may lead to a substantial addition to the sum of knowledge of the conditions obtaining in the upper air. Sir Ernest recently offered his services to the Air Ministry to carry out meteorological observations and to gather topographical information during his forthcoming expedition to the Atlantic, Southern and Indian Oceans. The " Quest " has been furnished with instru- ments and equipment necessary for carrying out observations, and she has been constituted an official reporting ship to the Meteorological Office. She has also been supplied with photographic apparatus and with kites similar to those employed in the investigation of the upper air over the Atlantic during the voyage of the s.s. " Montcalm " prior to the flight of " R. 34 " in 1919. It is further proposed to take records of the temperature and pressure of the upper air by using a seaplane which is to accompany the expedition. As the ship will, among other places, visit the islands of St. Paul's Rocks and Tristan d'Acunha, in the Southern Atlantic, some valuable data should be collected. The first of these groups lies on the route which would probably be followed by aircraft flying via the West Coast of Africa to South America. Tristan d'Acunha occupies a position almost midway between South America and South Africa. While a good deal can be accomplished by detached expeditions such as that of Sir Ernest Shackleton, what is really wanted is a comprehensive and exhaus- tive survey of the upper air on the lines we discussed recently, when writing of the proceedings of the International Committee. All knowledge of these conditions must be of great value, but aerial naviga- tion can never come fully into its own until the upper air is as well known and charted as the ocean currents. The International Law Association has Laws been holding a series of meetings at the of the Hague recently, for the discussion of Air. various subjects related to intercourse between nations. How far these dis- cussions are of an official nature, or whether the decisions of the Association have any binding effect on the nations represented, we do not altogether know. As a matter of fact, we believe the discussions are altogether academic and are principally interesting as an indication of the way matters affecting inter- the stage of development that will ultimately be national relations are regarded from the standpoint reached by these and other air services, we cannot of the legal mind. but welcome every evidence, however slight, that the Among other things, the Association has apparently postal authorities are awakening to the possibilities been engaged in the discussion of international aerial of air transport. Undoubtedly they are so awakening, law, and has come to the conclusion that the Aerial and what is quite as satisfactory in its way is the Convention of 1919 should be ratified by the signa- evidence of growing popularity of aerial conveyance tories as soon as possible, and that all the other which is furnished by the necessity which has arisen countries of the world should adhere to it and pass for the duplication of the cross-Channel parcels municipal laws accordingly at the earliest possible service. By inference it would appear that the moment. With this we find ourselves in total agree- business community is taking such advantage of the ment. The Convention is now two years old and facilities for rapid transport that the service hitherto has not as yet been ratified. As a matter of fact, in being has been found inadequate to the demands certain of the signatory nations, Great Britain among made upon it. So far so good, but we look forward the number, have already passed " municipal" laws ,;••• ; - 598 • •
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