Willock referred to his recent visit to Singapore where he met Sir Philip Sessoon, the Under-Secretary of State for Air, who was carrying out an inspection of the Royal Air Force." Sir Philip Sassoon, the course of his five week's tour of inspection, visited Malta, Athens, Egypt, Palestine, Trans-Jordan, Iraq (including "RAF. stations on the North-West Frontier) Burma, Siam and Malaya. Nineteen thousand miles of flying Were carried out strictly to sehedle and Sir Philip few over no less than 14 different countries.
This tour, by any other means, would have" necessitated" months spent m travelling which, for a busy Minister ¢ State, would have been Quite impracticable, "As a matter comparison,' the "speaker pointed out, "the 8.300 miles journey between Sine gapore and London is carried out regularly in eight days whereas my eapore and. Shanghai, 1 Little over 2000 miles—took nine days. "An air route, linking up' Shanghai. with Malaya, would effect a saving of a week.
"The passenger aeroplane of a few years hence will have thousand miles and been conquered what do internation~ boundaries imply? Hitherto, think, we have been far too apt to jard the aeroplane as a wea of war. I would urge that the time has come when we should regard rather a5 a messenger of peace."
Private Flying tu China Group Captain Willock had a word (or private ying and. expressed his Surprue that having regard to. the tention devoted to alr transporiation In China, private Gying has not been similarly developed. "We have Great Britain no less than 60 light aeroplane clube, eighteen of. which having a total membership of 5.00, Feceive financial assistance from the Government. These clubs, apart from Building up" a reserve of qualitied pilots, inculate sirmindedness, phy= cal Riness.and a apisit-of sdventure—all essential. character ities in fny' airman and. they also form fraternity of a common interest and common emulation. I feel, having regard to the benefits which accrue from such clubs the time cannot be far distant when private flying wilt be permitted In China.
"China is in the happy position of being able to learn from the mis
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.