The Washington herald., 1920-05-09
FRANCE-AFRICA
LINKED AIR
Toulouse to Morocco Regu-
lar IntercontinentalPas-
senger Trip Now.
FLIGHT ONE OF BEAUTY
Journey Taken by Day With
One Stop Made Over
Night.
Especial Cable 20 The Heraid.D

Especial Cable 90 The Hernid-D
Paris. May s.-what is said to be
the FIRST regular intercontinental air
plane mail and passenger service
has not only been definitely estab-
lished between Toulouse and Casa
blanca. but has proved a striking
success, IL one may judge from an
interesting account OF this service
in the Democratic Nouvelle by Victor
Cambon, who made the trip recently.
That the French have fully real
lied the commercial advantages to
be derived from air communication
with the colonies is emphasized by
the writer, who points out that
under the old rail and water system,
Casablanca. the chief commercial
city OF Morocco. was accessible from
France only after a long. costly and
somewhat painful journey.
Stops at BarceIona-
Now, however. all one has to do
is to take an evening express from
Paris TO Toulouse. climb aboard a
waiting Breguet or Salmson plane,
and finally stretch ones legs before
sunset next day in the white Mo-
roccan city.
The plane glides down on Spanish
enjoyed with sharpened appetite. At
o'clock the machine reaches Ali
cante. where the night is passed
The following day the flight is re-
sumed, with a stop at Malaga on the
Southern coast OF Spain and another
at Rabat. the first landing in Africa.
The whole flight. a matter Of 200
miles, takes about fourteen hours,
allowance being made for periods Of
rest.
The route follows more or less the
coast Of Spain so as to avoid flying
over the high mountains OF the
lberian Peninsula. and to be ready
al any time to make a safe descent
on the beach in case Of accident to
the motors. The most interesting
part OF the trip is the flight across
the Straits OF Gibraltar.
Guard Against Accidents.
The huge rock, where British forts
guard the entrance TO the Mediter-
ranean. looks like some enormous
boulder thrown by a giant upon the
shore. A little farther on the white
city Of AlgeCiras has the appearance
OF a pile Of little chalk pencils, and
lts vast amphitheater. where the
populace is entertained BY bull
nights. seems no larger than the
mouth OF a well.
The fact is that the pilots bring
their machine to an altitude Of SOM.
5000 feet before crossing the twelve
mile strait. for in this manner in
case OF accident. they may glide
down with power of TO either con-
tinent
From Gibraltar the fight is CON-
tinued along the spanish coast as
Tar as Tarifa. where the straits
have a minimum breadth. The mar
row waterway from this height Of
mile and a half might be taken
TOT a broad river. it's two banks
clearly defined. The haky white
clouds seem like little pufs OF
smoke against the deep blue Of the
Mediterranean After a flight OF
eight minutes from Tarira one is
already above the harbor Of Tan
gier.
Carry Foreign Mail.
While much has been said Of the
speed and altitude records Of French
airmen. as well as Of the recent
night Of Maj. VUiIIemin across the
Sahara Desert. il is not so generally
known that the use Of airplanes
has been widely extended to COM
merce in France and that the de-
Nelopment OF services similar to
that between Toulouse and Casa
blanca is being encouraged.
While this particular service.
which is on a bi-weekly schedule,
was established through private
enterprise. the French government
has given its Official approval by
granting a subsidy to n Lstecoerc,
a wealthy merchant Of Toulouse.
who decided to make the venture
at his own expense. NJ. L.atecoerc's
airplanes carry mail for the post
office department from Toulouse TO
Morocco at the rate Of one franc.
forty confines ~