Oct, 9.
No ocean route in the world of. fers such practical and profitable business possibilities as the Atlantic. Between the European continent and the American continent, the Old World and the New, is maintained the largest volume of] passenger traffic in existence while cargo is proportionately high. This is based on the essential inter relationship of these two continents whose interests are inseparably linked through economic, financial and social circumstances. For this reason the keenest mercantile marine competition in the world concentrated on this route although by no means is world prosperity exclusively confined to such unusual attention. The struggle for the "Blue: Riband of the Atlantic" by shipping companies of several countries is no mere advertising venture. It is the expressed intention of one country or another to establish commercial supremacy in the matter of steam~ ship transportation which will obtain its due reward, In this battle of the steamship' companies there is an clement of long tradition because the general lines of the procedure are well understood, and it is now a question whether the engineering abilities of any one nature, combined with the financial backing, are able to build the fastest ship. Aerial transport, which now encircles the world with the exception of one insignificant stage, is creating a similar set of circumstances but these are likely to be deprived of their intense aggressiveness by a developing belief in ce-operation which will benefit the infant industry by eliminating useless and wasteful competition at this early stage. Nevertheless, it would be a futile gesture of indite ference to deprive the coming struggle for supremacy in the aerial transport conquest of the Atlantic of any national pride in the fulfilment.
Developments in regular air services across the Altantic after years of "stunt" flights, designed to impress the imagination instead of establish practical possibilities, are proceeding apace. By the end of this year or the beginning of next year airlines will be in operation. The two Zeppelins which are maintaining a shuttle service over the ocean with uninterrupted regularity have exploded the fiction. of impossibility. Over the Southern Atlantic, French and German acroplanes have long been operating. On both sides of the ocean there are no apprehensions regarding commercial prospects. Preparations for the new phase in air communica tions have been studied and but his remarks did not rule out any intention of providing assist ance for the construction of zero-planes to be used on the Atlantic airlines. The argument regarding lighter-than-air craft and heavier= than-air craft over long distances Is still a question of debatable proportions with the Issue lying be-{ween weight-carrying capacity and speed on terms of commercial advantage. Carrying capacity at present dominates the argument, but a world demand for speed. in communteations will prevail In the Jong run, although, in an organized system of air transport there should be little overlapping in the same senso as both, fast and slow ships are maintained by shipping com= panies to accommodate diferent conditions.
The international view of air communications, especially in ro-gard to the Atlantic route, is an optimistic indication of the ture, The Atlantic will be flown regular-Jy on ordinary. air services within about eighteen hours. The world demands this and to the demand there is generally qulele response. Experimental flights" by "the Lufthansa flying boat between New York and the Azores averaged 228 hours, but Herr von Gablentz de~ clared that this crossing could be reduced considerably, making an ocean flight a duration of 16 hours, Arrangements between Pan-Amer can Airways and Imperial Airways, following official discussions between the American and the British Governments, which included as essential partners in the scheme, Canada, the Irish Free State and Newfoundland, the northern route across the Atlantic promises effec tive results. This represents a cooperative affair in which the British side, under guarantee of subsidies, from the countries participating in the venture, will provide suitable bases and landing facilities for the American interests, According to the recent statement by Sir Philip Sassoon, Under-Secretary of State for Air, arrangements have been completed for the conduct of ex-Berimental lights in order to en= able a definite survey to be made, and the service will eventually' be based on a minimum schedule of two dights a' week. Since 1934, careful study of this route has beer made by the establishment of a base in Newfoundland and an in-developed for years, with a cautious eye on the financial aspect which means that early operations can only function with the assistance of subsidies. The latest in the field with a definite scheme for the achieving of such an end is the United "States. A Washington telegram states that President Roosevelt's administration,—impressed by the performances of the German airships, is considering a scheme for submission to Congress for subsidizing a Trans-Atlantic. airship service. 'This decision has. been reached after discussion with Dr. Hugo Eckener, the German airship expert, and' Mr, Daniel C. Roper, Scerelary of Commerce, indicated that this form of subsidy would be similar to that applying 10 the assistance of American shipping, tense investigation of upper-air conditions, "The fullest measure of understanding and ce-operation has been obtained from the US, Government and on the basis of reciprocity it 1s hoped that a TTrans-Atlantic service connecting Britain-with the United States will be inaugurated as soon as practical conditions are established. As far as the four governments are con~ cerned, the exclusive nature will be maintained for 15 years and thereafter the question of exclusivity and the granting of further financial assistance to the joint company to operate the service will, be reviewed. This is a sound basis for the enterprise and there can be no doubt that in the very near fulure the "Atlantic Express" will be a reality.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.