Americus times-recorder., 1919-02-27

tween Singapore and Sumatra the Strait of Maacca is
only fifty miles wide, less than one hour of flying
Four hundred and fifty miles southeast of the point
where aviators would reach sumatra is sunda Strait
twenty miles wide, separating Sumara from Java. Be
yond 600 miles long the other smaller sunda
Islands strung out Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Foris
Adenara, Lomblen Panta, Ombay and Timor with only
channels between them Between Amanaton in
Tmor Northwestern Australia there 300 miles of
blue water From Cairo Singapore there for
the aviator to and from Singapore to Australia the
Sunda Islands, for 1000 miles, afford what is practically
an aand route. At Amanabong the flying would
only tighten his belt and settle himself for four
hours sprint
1t is, of course true that before long journey
through the air could be attempted the would have
to be bazed by engineers and mechanicans whose con-
corn it would be map out and construct landing sta
tions; and before them would pioneers chiefly
of the diplomatic service, arrange terms and cond
tions Minor Persia, Beluehistan and in the Sunda
Island archipelago elsewhere the aviaors would pass
over territory of the British kmpire Negotiations with
the progressive Dutch Islands would take
lands in Western Asia where British influence is
paramount as result of the great war.
Nowhere along the route is there dearh of places of
importance although obvious that the line of travel
would be irregular To India it would through
Jerusalem, Damascus, Bagdad, Ispahan, Shiraz and
thence through Southern Persia to Bella in Beuchisan
which less than 200 miles from Karach Over India,
Burma, and the Malay Peninsula British organization
would have clear field and in the Sunda Islands the
Dutch would provide landing stations in the principal
towns. Propaganda and expense of money would
be necessary, doubt among tribes that the Dutch
govern with more or less friction aviator always
being of coming down in centres of civilization
Plenty of flying would volunteer for the Cairo
Australia air route. Preparations might take year,
probably less enterprises of greater difficulty were
pushed through during th} in amzingly brief
time.
To read the elaborate report of the Civil Aerial
Transport Committee organized in the Summer of 1917,
is understand how thoroughly the British are in earn
est about converting the airship to commercial uses
On that committee are some of the most eminent SOL
diers and civilians the empire They have studied
civil aerial transport from every point of view, the
engineers the manufacturers the merchants the law
yer the fnanciers and the statesmans They are not
dreamers practical and they believe that the
airship be for transportation all over the
earth auxiliary to the railway train, the motor
vehicle and the steamship. They have faith that the
time is distant when the airship will play an
important part in affairs of the world. London
Capetown service may be established before the end
of the Pioneers already in the field in Africa
between Cairo the Cape of Good Hope and they are
not letting the grass grow under their feet 1t would
in the British committees report: ut is scarcely
necessary point the extreme importance of this
country ngland of being first in the field in the mat
ter of aerial tranSnort