Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-04
FLIGHT
INTERESTING THEME
admiral. Kerr Says That With Com
ing of Peace Laws Will
g BE Needed.
AIRCRAFT WILL BE LICENSED
Birds Hayc Definite Flying Rules.
s Aerial Communications Will Play
Important Part in Commercial
s. Life of Nations.
sBY REAR-ADMIRAL MARK KERR,
of the Air Ministry.
International News Bureau.l

SfN{lSlf linterna ticnal News Bureau.1
War has made very incredible and
fantastic dreams OF ten years or less
3 tEo. common-places of the present. Yet
10 development has been more swift and
SsSlra'natic than that OF aircraft. Every
~ lay gigantic strides are being made
Sssh the further conquest OF the air by
nan, and with the arrival OF peace
81 here will have TO be laws laid down
Connect the vast aerial traffic that is
issertain to become a part o: the fabric
LII civilization.
~ Al pir. vehicles will; have TO be reg
Sa fsred like our shipping. They will
T}are Plimsoll mark or its equivalent.
End no doubt Lloyd's lis, will grow
Up with class Al. and so forth. for yes
iels taking passengers and mails in
'nhe air. If they do not carry 4 bag
"'.shey will be classcd as pirates. the
YPolice will knock them down and 1t
mill be long fall
sS3 AS matter Of fact. there is in ex-
Silence large association which has
\ terial laws OF It's own. 1t is an asso-
n,daton of birds known as the lost souls
u the Bosphorus." They have laws
in1rly laid down. and ~ in large
APPS. and have never seen any of
oa' IN collision. Almost as if using
Smpass they ncvigate the air. and
I'VE nouceu that those byinS south
der pass over those flying northwest
Asn our own aerial laws are made
IT. Shati have to take q hint from those
bth's. and use the compass in making
nnis for passing.
. erial law is one OF the foundations
which the aerial communication OF
he' future will rest. Its statutes will
foT'e to provide for regularity in wire
seNs communications. rule of the air.
|weFlai navigation. and in addition to
,r-.s, the rights of States and individuals
1reo pass through the atmosphere over
ountries and properties belonging TO
her peoples, and also the control OF
ondng PLACES on the lines OF routes. as
'aEell as the licenses to be granted au-
1airortzinE types of machines that may
we used for conveyance of passengers
lived malls, and testing the qualifica-
asSft. '"'S ;" '"'F0 OF these arr
SIN my opinion the formation OF the
SsEs!RoNal Air Force is a distinct advance
ss;;tm aeronautics. II means the cstab-
Sanshment of a general staff whose bus
tfmess II is to devote their imagination
ssaSld energy principally TO the study of
5gterlai problems Il subject too great to
g&se looked on as by-product of the
Z SQrk of any other ministry. To do so
jGsHould be going hack to the ancient
Il lays when the sailors sailed the ship.
Ind the soldiers fought the sea battle
sliy'S ~ Nh'M lle result OF mat system
Twas to produce a state of stagnation
ss1En matters connected with the sea
IS when the blessed day Of peace ar
n ilNes there VIII be a great struggle all
AZ over the world to get start OF others
n matters commercial. and one OF the
principal features Will be priority i'm
terial communication.
tE THESE things cannot be done sudden
y 1t ~ essential that we must pre-
4 'are preparation means organization.
ana the strength OF organization is the
4 Jaw. AS nation we are prone. i'm
'hlhSs new TO walt for others to give
as the lead. and afterwards we gen
orally catch them UP and pass them:
>ut nave ridden man! hundred races
II my time. and though in some things
% ride q waiting race is necessary, Vet
never saw a jockey who did no, he
iere that one length gained AT inc
aart was worth a good three pounds in
.ReiEht Other countries are already
getting into training, and we must do
Z, The same
Y Many DIFFICULTIES
sis> TO OVERCOME
There will be htnny difficulties. but
iifhcuit!eS are an incentive TO our race
Z md when confronted with them we
y must throw our minds back 10 the great
Z men OF the past. who. with the smallest
h means. performed the creates, deeds
= Sir Walter Raleigh il was who frs,
6 put into words the truth Of scapowcr
{. he said. 'E1e who commands M e.a
s commands The commerce. he VINO cn,n
nands the commerce.. commands ,no
4 World" All the grca, Lliznlir,bams
Is realized this. and the though, snirrnd
;sE.nem on in laying out foundations on
@Rh1ch we hsv" since been building. and
1T is now being gradually realized that
1 power OF the air musi h.. ,,Idc n'' -, ,me
aEsommand OF the sea
lima 9 NATION and organization ip ,bs
S past, by men whose ,,,,nns aro
2slhouschoid words have suroa,,., ~,
I Yildng up tho mos, wondnrf,I tnh..;.
6 MAT the world has even seen con.
struction whose stones ,rc na,io,,. 49,,
VINO have all. ro, " men