The question, "Is Flying Unpopular?" is put by Major W. T. Blake, who writes as follows to the "Daily News':—On occasions recently I have particularly noticed the ignorance and indeed the antagonism which the public feels towards flying. Whilst a small body of people are striving for the progress of this vital means of communication and defence, the majority are content to wait and see and a certain number do all in their power to retard progress.
As an example of this attitude I would quote the people of Wallington. When it was proposed to remove the London air terminus from Hounslow to Waddon (which adjoins, and was, I believe, under the council of Wallington), a tremendous scream of protest went up from the inhabitants of this suburb. They objected to having the sanctity of their district upset by the arrival and departure of aircraft. In fact, so strongly did they protest that eventually Croydon stepped in and offered' father the offending aerodrome, which will eventually become one of the most important spots in the world, The move from Hounslow was made in spite of Wallington's protests, and any advantage which may accrue will now be claimed by Croydon. in a few years' time the local inhabitants of Wallington may well bewail the foolishness of their predecessors, J think I remember reading of a parallel gase when railways were first laid A few days ago I was one of a large party being shown \round huge collection of aircraft and aircraft. material. The party consisted entirely of people interested in or connected with aeronautics. I have rarely heard so many absurdly ignorant questions asked at any time, bearing in mind that all these people were supposed to know at least a little about aircraft.
Another point. Frequently when I ask people who can afford to pay the reason they do not save time and increase their comfort by flying from London to Paris, I receive the answer. "Oh, but I should so hate the air sickness." 'There is a very prevalent idea that all people who travel by air become violently sick. I can truthfully say that, after a 10 years' experience of the air, I have never once seen a person suffer from air sickness, neither have I actually met a person who has suffered from sickness while in an aeroplane. Who can say this of the sea?
Horror of cold is another reason why some people do not fly; yet, in' the new machines, passengers sit in an enclosed and often heated cabin, with neither cold nor draught to worry them.
Six Francisco, Aug. 13.—Tho Crown Prince of Rumania has arrived here from Honolulu.—Reu-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.