AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

THE AERIAL TRANSPORT REPORT.

26th December 1918
Page 17
Page 17, 26th December 1918 — THE AERIAL TRANSPORT REPORT.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

pERHAPS THE PRINCIPAL thing which strikes one about the report of the Civil Aerial Transport Committee is that it fails to make definite recommendations to the Government as to some of the most important points in respect of which a very definite policy is essential as a preliminary to any serious development.

Particularly does the Government' need a very strong lead on the question of whether the support given by the State to aerial enterprises should take the form of assistance granted to independent concerns or of State ownership or part ownership of transport undertakings. It would have been far more satisfactory if the Committee had made definite recommendation on this subject, and it seems a great pity that they had not the courage to do so. In our opinion State ownership is only justifiable where it is absolute j absolutely necessary, because experience does not show that State ownership affords the best method of developing a young industry from its first inception. The State is much too strongly inclined to be influenced by the representations of existing interests which may be adversely affected by the (mining of a new competitor.

Everything that the State does is liable to occasion awkward questions addressed to responsible Ministers in the House of Commons. The permanent official, therefore, plays for safety rather than for brilliance. Thus, so far as aerial transport schemes are concerned, the part played by the State should be confined to the. granting of subsidies and the provision of facilities together with the compilation of an international 'code of laws bearing upon the subject.

There are certain cases in which State ownership may be unavoidable, because if the method of subsidy were attempted, the subsidy would have to be so great as to make the State, to all intents and purposes, solely responsible for the finance of the undertaking. We refer particularly to services which cannot possibly pay their own way for many years to come, or which are deliberately formed under conditions which make it impossible for them ever to become paying propositions in themselves. Putting it in another way, the State should be the proprietor only of services aiming at development of State property rather than at the payment of a dividend or at any direct profit. The British Empire, regarded as a whole, possesses an immense amount of undeveloped property. It is not logical for the Government to penalize private individuals who do not put their land to proper use, but to be itself guilty of the same fault on an immensely greater scale. In many parts Of the Empire development has, as yet, occurred only

along the coastline. Inland districts; in most cases, are just as •capable of development, but have lagged behind solely threajgh lack of transport. The trouble has been that the provision Of transport facilities would have necessitated huge capital expenditure upon Toads and railways. This is no longer the case. If, for instance, by losing ten thousands pounds a year on the running of an aeroplane service wean increase the value of the British Empire by a few million pounds, then the reasonable interest on that increase in value altogether outweighs the loss upon the service which is, therefore, perfectly sound as a State venture, though it would never appeal to the private speculator. The State service would have to carry goods •and passengers at a rate equivalent to that possible were other forms of transport in existence. This means that, in all probability, there will be a steady dead loss on operation. The money must be got back in land value and by providing employment such as will increase the value of the individual members of the Empire to the Empire as a, whole. The value of the individual is greatest in centres of industry, and least in undeveloped districts in young countries. The aeroplane can more or less equalize matters by making development possible everywhere.

The third recommendation is more positive. It favours the..iinmediate establishment of a bureau in aid of research. So far as aircraft and a.ero engines are concerned, this should be covered by a research department of the manufacturers' society, which department, we believe, is in course of formation. By all means let the Government contribute with unusual generosity to the cost. Presumably, any bureau established by the Government itself would deal with less direct matters connected with meteorology and other sciences bearing upon the safety of flight throughout the world. The Committee is perfectly right in urging the prompt establishment of a system of propaganda throughout the Empire, with a view to convincing everyone of the vast importance and possibilities of aerial transport, and particularly to familiarizing Governments and local authorities with the subject. The main doubt in one's mind on this matter is whether the Government is itself the best propagandist, since it is certainly itself the most important pupil who must benefit by the propaganda. For the rest, our main criticism is that this report rather serves to perpetuate the false impression that great speed is the one and only big outstanding attribute of aerial transport. In point of fact, even more important is the ability of the aeroplane to travel without reference to the existence of prepared tracks.


comments powered by Disqus