New-York tribune., 1918-12-06

routes outside the United States, which
has been successfully operated between
Washington, Philadelphia and New
York since May i, 1918. Though the
subject of air service had previously
been given considerable study and a
number of spasmodic flights with mail
had been undertaken for purposes Of
exhibition, it was only with the cetab-
liBhment of this route that transporta-
tion of mail by aeroplane became
permanent and practical feature of the
postal service. Describing this service,
the report says:
zone round trip daily, except Sun
day, by postal aeroplanes carrying
mail is being made without fail. The
trip from Washington to New York is
performed on an average in two hours
and thirty minutes, and from New
York to Washington in two hours and
fifty minutes, the difference In time
being due to resistance offered by the
prevailing winds, which are usually
from a westerly direction. A stop for
the exchange of mail on each trip is
made Mt Philadelphia. An average of
seven and threefourths tons OF letter
mail is being carried each month.
''The Aerial Mail Service was inaug
uratcd with the cooperation of the War
Department, which furnished the ma
chimes and aviators and conducted the
flying and maintenance operations.
This cooperation, which was of ines
August 12, when the entire operation
was taken over by the Postofficc De-
pnrtn1cnt and the work performed by
this department with it's own equip
ment and personnel. The task which
the army had undertaken was new and
full of unsolved problems. A few
flights in the beginning were defaulted
PARTIALLY abandoned, or INTERRUPTED by
stormy weather. but gradually the
service settled down to an absolutely
dcncndablc one. The high standard
Of daily perfect flights which the army
succeeded gradually in establishing il
being maintained by the Postoice
Department regardless of weather con.
ditions.
"The Washington-New York route
has served as a working laboratory ir
which the many unknown factors thai
enter into the maintenance Of dali,
aerial service are being successfully
soIvcd'
Air Routes to South America
"The trunk lines and feeders decide,
upon for the aerial mail" tho Post
master General says, after describing
experimental ope perations between Wash
ington, New York and Philadelphia
under the present programme are:
81. New York to San Francisco, witt
, feeders from (a) Chicago to st. Loui
and Kansas City, ob) Chicago to 81
Paul and Minneapolis, (c) Clcvelan
to Pittsburgh.
, SO. Boston to Key West, with feed
, crs from (a) philadelphia to Pitts
l. burgh. (h) Washington to Cincinnati
Co Atlanta to New Orleans.
4 ''SS. Key West, via Havana to Pan
s ANA.
G -. Key West. Via the West Indie:
: TO South American
, Regarding the aerial route to Sout
/, Amer rica, Mr. Burlcson says:
: Negotiations looking to the conclu
zion of special aerial mail convention
V between the United States and the fol
Y eign countries involved for the estat
r Indies ard Central and South Americ
= are now in progress. 1t is realize
O that these oversee routes will requir
the most powerful aeroplanes, wit
wireless installation and special COZ
Il stru>.ion to make them safe over tn
II seas, but the enormous commercial aC
II vantage that will result by material
II reducing the time between this cour
II try and Central and South Americ
u will justify the expenditure that sue
/ service will entail.
H an the conduct of the service no
II in operation ard the preliminary wor
II on the routes to be established mmc