INTRODUCTION
Whenyears ago we read in Tennyson’s “Locksley Hall” the followinglines:—
Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dewFrom the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue—
Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dewFrom the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue—
Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dewFrom the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue—
Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dew
From the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue—
we little dreamt that not very far from the beginning of the twentieth century the fancy of the poet would become the fact of reality; that in the great European war in which the nation is so strenuously engaged, “the wonder that would be” would come to pass.
Though happily, at present, in these isles the din of war is unheard, yet a semi-darkened London and bright searchlights playing on the skiestell the tale of prudent foresight against the advent of the enemy’s airfleet. From the battlefields there daily come the reports of actual battles in the air, sometimes betwixt aëroplane and aëroplane, sometimes between the lighter and heavier than air craft. Often such encounters are death-grip duels. Such conflicts of the air are the direct consequence of the great and important use of both airship and aëroplane as aërial scouts. These are the eyes of encountering armies. To destroy as far as possible this penetrating vision of the enemy and restore to him the fog of war is the untiring aim of either side.
During those first anxious days of the present war the public anxiously awaited news of the doings of the Royal Flying Corps, as well as those of the aviators of our Allies. Expectation was satisfied in the reading of Sir John French’s report to Lord Kitchener, dated September 7th, 1914. Speaking of the use of the aëroplane in the war hesays:—
I wish particularly to bring to your Lordship’s notice the admirable work done by the Royal Flying Corps under Sir David Henderson. Their skill, energy, and perseverance have been beyond all praise. They have furnished me with the most complete and accurate information, which has been of inestimable value in the conduct of the operations. Fired at constantly both by friend and foe, and not hesitating to fly in every kind of weather, they have remained undaunted throughout.Further, by actually fighting in the air, they have succeeded in destroying five of the enemy’s machines.
I wish particularly to bring to your Lordship’s notice the admirable work done by the Royal Flying Corps under Sir David Henderson. Their skill, energy, and perseverance have been beyond all praise. They have furnished me with the most complete and accurate information, which has been of inestimable value in the conduct of the operations. Fired at constantly both by friend and foe, and not hesitating to fly in every kind of weather, they have remained undaunted throughout.
Further, by actually fighting in the air, they have succeeded in destroying five of the enemy’s machines.
For those brave heroes of the air our hearts beat with fervid admiration. In accomplishing their all-important tasks they have not only to fear disaster from shot and shell of the enemy, but from the mistaken fire of their comrades and the very forces of nature. These latter, owing to the imperfections of the flying machines, do not entirely spare them; the Royal Flying Corps, in order to become competent to perform the work it is now doing for King and country,has had in manœuvres at home to pay a high price in the sacrifice of human life.
It may, indeed, be reasonably thought that the knowledge of the vast utility of aircraft in the present conflict will dispel the last remnant of prejudice in this country against the development of aërial navigation, and the grudging of a liberal national expenditure on the service of the air. It was, perhaps, this ignoring of practical utility, so vigorously combated by the pioneers in this country, that caused Great Britain to be the last of the Great Powers to seriously take up aircraft for military and naval use. Our delay had been a wonder to many, since theoretically in the past this nation had been to the fore. Nearly half a century ago it led the way of the air by being the first country in the world to found a society for the encouragement of aërial navigation—the Aëronautical Society of Great Britain. It is no exaggeration to say that many of the great principles of human flight were formulated and discussed at the earliermeetings of that society. The late Mr. Wilbur Wright, when he came to this country to receive the gold medal of the society, in his speech testified to the substantial help he had received from the study of the transactions of the oldest aëronautical society in the world. As the pioneer in laying the foundations of aërial science, this country is not without honour amongst the nations.