Mrs, Mollison's latest feat in breaking the record for a solo flight from England to Capetown stamps her as the foremost aviatrix in the Empire. Clipping 11 hours off the existing record, she has brought Capetown 10. less than three and a half days from London and her performance, magn!- ficent a it is og a personal effort, is bound to have a beneficial effect on the future of alr communications between the two points, There was 'a time when one mentioned the name Africa and shuddered at its immensity, ils perils and its dangers, but Mrs, Mollison has again shown that with a good machine and skill_and determination a flight across the Dark Continent need have no fears for the air traveller. Among the congratula~ tions extended to her the warmest will perhaps come from Flight-Lieut. Tommy Rose for he and Mrs. Mollison have been friendly competitors along. the London-Capetown route, each beating the other's time until Mrs, Molligon, who has acquired almost a habit'of record-breaking, ix Row ahead of her rival whose time she hag beaten and has reduced the flight to three days, 0 hours and 20 minutes. Tt was Mrs, Mollison who created the impetus for this friendly contest for she established a record of four days 6 hours and 63 minutes fu 1932 and this was lowered by 13 ours by Rose only os recently a last February. The question will naturally arise regarding the practical results of such flights which involve considerable expense, courage and fish, The answer Is to be found in the possibilities of accelerating air communications, All over the world the tendency is for greater speed on air services in order to maintain the manifest advantage over other forms of communication. British Imperial Toutes are not too well served in this respect at present and with other European countries competing there must be a speeding up all round—a decision which Imperial Airways have realized and will put into force in their expansion programme recently announced. People in China, who have hitherto been particularly un~ fortunate In alr communications with Europe, may regard us amazing the apparent rapidity of some of the existing services but with the KIM, Working on a three or four da; service between Batavia and Holland the time has arrived when consider ably quicker schedules are required all over the Imperial Airways system. of friends of all nationalities in this During his stay here [since July 1938 when a succession of untimely deaths had, within a short period, left the command of the Mur ines. "vacant, General Beaumont established a' remarkable reputation }2s a sound soldier and leader of men, He was no less proud of his fine corps than that corps was proud of him and his capacity for making friends with the representatives of other na~ Yons was. particularly mark farm supporter of all kinds of sport General Beaumont encouraged the [Marines in an interest highly congenial to them. In these three years has made his mark on" the Marines' record in Shanghai and he leaves with the cordial congratula-tons of the community on his promotion and important new appointment at Washington. To his distinished successor, 'Colonel Charles ¥F, B. Price, Shanghai has already ex. tended a' warm welcome. It re-Jcognizes that ¢he difficult task of following a Commandant, so widely esteemed as General Beaumont has hands. Bon voy to the Colonel good wishes for a' pleasant tour of duty on the banks of the Whangpoo.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.