The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-14


Force, Middle East, was left in pc,
sition to inausurate at once the prep
aration for esta blshing post wal
i 2eriaI routes when the cessation Of
hostilities against Turkey came. or
October 81. 1918. Advantage was
taken of the favorable opportunity
by Major General Salmond and par
ties were selected to survey the posi-
BILE air routes from Cairo to the Cane
II may at first seem strange that
Africa one of the least explored con-
tinents. should be chosen as her first
over which 10 make a transcontinent-
al air service but the Cape-to-C Cairo
route possesses the great advantage
from the Air Force point of view. q!
being entirely under British control
negotiating with other powers.
Two wears previously the route
from ,Sollum to Cairo had been used
hv Major MacLaren when flying from
England to Egypt. and over this pre-
liminary portion OF the journey rom
England aerodromes had been estah
lshed at Sollum Mersa Msrtruh and
Amria fat the edge Of the Delta. near
Alexandria) while intermediate land
ing grounds had been cleared for use
in emergency
Also in 1915 aeroplanes had beer
employed In fhe Sudan against Al
pinar Of Darfur, and an aerodrome
had been constructed at khartum.
In the absence OF good maps Of tn.
Southern Sudan or Central Africa II
was problem OF some difficulty for
the air star at Cairo 10 pick out pro-
posed route hut with help from the
Air Ministry in London preparations
were pushed on with such speed that
in about month after the signing
OF the arm istice with Turkey No. 1
African survey Nos. and were
ready few weeks later
The continent was divided into three
sections. No. party was to survey
Egypt. the sudan AVID as far south as,
Victoria Nyanza; No. . covered the
central stretch from Victoria Nyanza
No covered the central stretch from,
Victoria Syanza tpartlv through what
was German East Africa> kituta AT
the southern end of Lake Taneanyika:
No 3 PARTY had to inspect the line
from kituta to Cape Town.
The first PARTY. which had the long
est hut easiest stretch to cover, fol-
lowed the course OF the Nile almost
throughout and We're aided by that
river in the ira nsportation of men and
stores The second party had short
stretch over little known country. pre-
senting immense difficulties from
every point of view. The southern
party covered A tremendous distance,
almost throughout,
It was intended that each officer
should at once proceed to one or more
stations on the route and select an
aerodrore site He was then 70 en-
gage local native labor to clear and
prenare the spot. advising the leader
If his party OF the progress made.
Supplies Of petrol and oil were car
RED SO that the aerodromes might be
ready to receive aeronlanes as soon
as the sites were cleared.
Each party consisted Of the leader.
1--WE 10 eight other officers and less
than twenty other ranks all chosen
from the Royal Air Force in the
Middle East
In the original instructions the fol-
lowing were the stations TO he inves-
tirated, The route prepared by head :
quarters. Middle '-ast, has been fol-
lowed out and found very satisfac-
tory:
No. party commanded ev Major
Long n s. o. Cairo Assault. As
~uan, Wadi Halfa. Meroe. Atbara.
khartum. kodok tFashodal. Condo
koro, JlnEa. Pnrf victoria
No. party commanded by Major
Fnnmett .--Mwanza tsouth end of
Victoria Nyanza1. Ujiji. Kituia-
No. : party commanded by Ma ior
Court Treaty .--Abercorn tnear XII.
uta>, Broken Hill. Livingstone. Sails
bury. Ruluwayo. MISUNDERSTANDING
tor Kimherley-Pretoria). Bloemfon-
tein. Beaufort West Cape Town.
The three leaders of the expedition
are all we'll fitted for the work re-
auired, ior Emmett being a WE'LL
known big game hunter and Major
CourtTreatt having shortly before
the war journeyed through the Sahara
to Timhuktu
The reason which led to the adop-
ton OF the line SO far followed were
~ The valley of thu Nile running al
most due north and south forms an
excellent guide for the aerial nayi-
gator. II also provided means of
transportation. and allows either aero
planes or flying boats to he used as
occasion may require. Also a rail-
way follows the Nile for great part
OF the wan
AS far south as Khartun,. Major
Longs party had no difficulties. be-
fore the New Year the line to Khar-
tum was ready for use. and about
three weeks later Brigadier- General
Herbert was flown there in a HandIey-
Page machine. AT Meroc an aero
drome was not cleared that town be-
ing regarded merely as a flying boat
st age. Aeroplanes would naturally fol-
low the railway. which cuts off the
loop Of the Nile. and proceed direct
from Wadi Halfa to Atbara.
Major Court-Treatt's party. exam
ing the Southern sector. had a rela-
lively simple task allotted to them.
The chief difficulties were to choose
nc rodromes from the many good sites
which existed. An aerodromc has
been prepared near Johannesburg.
A route in process of development
is that from Athara to Trinkitat. on
the Red Sea. and thence via the Far
san and Kararan Islands to Perrin
and Alden This will probably be more