The New York herald., 1921-09-18

their flight by air than by train there 10
also far less danger of theft than in the
open baggage rooms OF the railway sta
tion.
Europe has never taken kindly TO the
question of distributing mail by air. al
though each plane leaving Paris does
carry heavy bulk of mail The man ser
vice between Paris and london has been
the most patronized for business men
have found in it an opportunity of safely
sending valuable mail matter and also
having it delivered in some instances a
day earlier To better this service and
make it even more attractive arrange
ments have been completed for the de-
livery in Paris and London OF all this
mail and express matter and it will no
longer be necessary to call at the air ter
minals to claim these shipments.
To passengers the saving in time is
often one of primary importance. An
American banker. one of the most lniuen-
tial in his sphere, arrived in France re-
Gently by the liner Olympic. Picked up
Immediately by waiting plane, he was
brought to Paris. After transacting
urgent business in the French capital he
flew to London and from there accom-
plished in twelve days an aerial tour of
every European capital, the same plane
serving him throughout the voyage. Such
4 voyage by train. while far less comfort
able and agreeable, would have required
the better part of a month.
BY rail the voyage to Warsaw which
requires a change of train at Prague, n
you choose the southern route. change
at Berlin by the northern way, consumed
over forty hours. This in addition to all
the Inconvenience suffered in postwar
travel. The plane which leaves Paris at
o'clock each morning places you in the
Polish capital in ten hours actual flying
time or at the very latest 80 o'clock in
the evening Three giant biplanes, each
weighing a ton and each driven by $40
horse power motors, are used on this flight
and are capable of carrying four or five
passengers in addition to the pilot
Lines to Northern Africa
OF Tremendous Importance
line of tremendous Importance is that
established between Toulouse and Northern
Africa Ordinarily this voyage must be
made by train, by boat and by horse drawn
vehicles, the fastest method of transpor
tation requiring, before the advent of the
air line, four days. Now you can leave
Toulouse after late breakfast. fly all day
and halt for the night in the quaint Span
ish seaport Alicante, where the air express
firm has leased hotel to be placed at
your disposal. Early the following morning
you are on your way again, and by $50
o'clock that afternoon you have landed in
a level plain near the centre of Casablanca.
The cost of such a voyage is 1850 francs,
$125 at the present rate of exchange, while
by boat and train the same travel costs
in first class over 500 francs and requires
three extra days In travelling by air
over this line each passenger is permitted
20 pounds of baggage. Letters are carried
by air between these points for rs cents
In the operation Of all these airways
France used every precaution for safety.
While in December 1918. France controlled
only four flying centres, and each one very
incomplete, there are now dozens Of these
air ports scattered over the country
Where formerly the pilot had to trust to
luck when attempting a landing. he can
now circle down over field as level as
a table, where he can be sure OF landing
his passengers and freight in absolute
safety.
A large number of main air ports, fitted
with hangers and workshops, control their
chain Of intermediate posts and aid sta
fions Flares visible at 4 distance OF 25
miles are in use on the principal landing
grounds, and two flames, for which visibl.
ity at 4 distance Of 81 miles is claimed are
being installed this year to guide airmen
across the waters OF the Mediterranean.
A score OF weather stations. located at
these airports, exchange reports four times
daily. and a pilot before taking off knows
we'll the weather to expect before efecting
his next landing. In this way planes can
be routed around, above or below storms
that are known to exist along "the right OF
way"
As a result Of these precautions fatal
accidents have been few.
Wireless equipment Is placed on prac-
tically every passenger plane and within
a short time every plane flying over the
routes out OF French air ports will be re.
quired to have wireless, so that they can
keep in constant touch with land stations
along thir routes and thus be assured OF
constant warnings regarding approaching
storms. storms need have no effect on the