FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1923
1923 - 0372.PDF
JULY 5, 1923 DERBY EN FETE FOR MR. F. H. ROYCE WHETHER by coincidence or design the unveiling of the statue at Derby of Mr. F. Henry Royce, of Rolls-Royce aero-engine fame, on Wednesday last week, the day following the announcement by the Premier of the Government's great move to place our aerial arm upon an adequate footing, the event was particularly appropriate to the happenings of last week. To honour this great engineer a distinguished company travelled by special express to Derby, at the invitation of the Rolls-Royce Company, and incidentally to inspect the magnificent works which have been built up as a necessity of the requirements grown out of the Rolls-Royce car and the different Rolls-Royce aero-engine units which so materially assisted to shape history during the War. In getting the very large group of visitors to Derby, and back and in the handling of them throughout the ceremony and the day, we boldly assert that more efficiency and perfection of organisation have never been experienced. This feature of the day was an outstanding testimonial to the spirit which is inspired in his immediate associates, and throughout the entire undertaking by the personality of its manag- "-'- '-;•;; " ,'-"S- •.••.-• \." ing director, Mr. Claude Johnson. Yet during the whole proceedings, with one exception, the name of the " man behind the gun " was not heard and, except to those who knew him, his modesty kept him in such retiring positions that it was hardly known he was present. Sir Samuel Hoare, the Minister for Air, was, un- fortunately, unable to be present owing to his Cabinet engagements, but the Duke of Sutherland consented to act as Sir Samuel's deputy, and very effectively carried out his task. At the luncheon Lord Wargrave, Chairman of ^Rolls-Royce, Ltd., pre- sided, supported by the Earl and Countess of Birkenhead, the Duke of Sutherland, Mrs. Claude Johnson, Professor and Mrs. Denvent Wood, and the Mayor of Derby (Aid. O. Ling). Amongst those also present were Lord Mon- tagu of Beaulieu, Lord Herbert Scott, the Bishop of Derby, Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P., and Mr. G. H. Oliver, M.P. Lord Wargrave, in proposing the health of •-'" - I" Mr. Royce (who was not present at the luncheon), made a few personal remarks with regard to Mr. Royce, the toast being received with enthusiasm. Lord Birkenhead, who in his absence responded for Mr. Royce, then followed with some observations upon his distinguished work. He said an old Greek saying laid down for our advice that we should acclaim no man as happy until he dies. Certainly it had been the practice both of the ancient and the modern, with very few exceptions, to erect a statue to a man while he still lived. The exceptional achievements of Mr. Royce have admitted in his case of an exception extremely flattering to the achievements of a remarkable life. He established an industry in this country which had won the admiration and envy of the civilised world. The words " Rolls-Royce " had, indeed, almost passed into current speech. It was an amazing circumstance that five-eighths of the engines that were used in fighting aeroplanes in the Great War were made by the company. The positive achievement which was involved in this statement was astounding. There were many claims to the claim who won the War. In military circles there was one view, in naval circles another, in aerial circles there was still another. And he would be very in- terested to hear how it could be contended that any single individual had made a greater contribution to the War which so largely determined it—success or failure in the air—than the man the results of whose inventive genius equipped five- eighths of the aeroplanes and seaplanes we used in the Great War. Certainly the services of such a man were not extra- vagantly rewarded by an O.B.E. He was not without hope that His Grace the Duke of Sutherland, who had devoted himself with so much zeal, energy, and efficiency to his new duties, would raise his powerful voice in order to see that greater justice was meted out to one of the most remarkable living Englishmen. For centuries we had lived in constant and absolute depend- ence on our maritime strength to afford security to the inhabitants of the island. Military strength, maritime strength, these in turn, and often working in co-operation, had insured the position and the existence of this island and this Empire through the centuries. Today we were approach- ing a new element. The past had been with armies and fleets ; is it certain the future will not lie almost certainly in the air ? It was by no means impossible that in the short period of ten years the position of the Secre- tary of State for Air would be of greater strategical importance either than that of Secretary of State for War or First Lord of the Admiralty. No man living could assign limits to the part that would be played in the air, not merely commercially in times of peace, but on occasions of great war if the world were at once so mad and so unhappy to allow itself again to be involved in the convul- sions of a great war. By a strajige and not un- happy chance there had coincided with this cele- bration that day a Ministerial statement as to the intentions of the Government in relation to the air. It is reasonable to say quite plainly that it would not have been possible for this or an ' other Government in three months or six months or twelve months to do all that requires doing, and he thought it was fair to say that in his judgment at least the statement made by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons and by Lord Curzon in the House of Lords make it plain that the Government had adopted the right and necessary decision. They had taken it, if he understood their contention aright, boldly, and while Lord Wargrave stated that they had com- mitted themselves to a one-Power standard, he was not sure whether so much was definitely stated ; but they did state this—that they committed themselves to a principle which was indispensable, that the defensive force of this country should be such as to afford an absolute security having regard to the strength of any country that was geographically in a position to strike at this country in the air. If there were any proposal of limitation he was certain this or any other Govern- ment would welcome it with the promise that we had enough to make the existence of this country safe. With less than that we would not be content. More than that we did not ask for. The Rolls-Royce Company's part had been illustrious in the years that had passed, but he was certain of this, that the last contribution had not yet been made bv the resource- fulness of Mr. Royce and the distinguished young men whom 372 The statue of Mr. F. H. Royce at Derby, unveiled by theCountess of Birkenhead last week.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
