May 20, 1920] 



NATURE 



359 



Imperial Air Routes. 



RECENT long-distance flights have shown that 

 aerial navigation is a practical means of 

 quick transport between distant lands. The long 

 time occupied on the first flight to Australia is no 

 criterion of the possibilities of the future, when 

 the route is better surveyed and adequate aero- 

 dromes replete with all facilities are established. 

 Sir Ross Smith recently spoke of six stages, each 

 occupying a day, as a reasonable journey from 

 London to Sydney. Air routes promise to forge 

 a new link in Imperial unity, and to modify to a 

 great extent the geographical relationships of the 

 various parts of the Empire. Until now the 



Sykes described some of the most important of 

 the probable Imperial air routes, and showed how 

 they naturally centre on Egypt. The flight from 

 Egypt to India was accomplished in November, 

 191 8, and this route is one of the first which Sir 

 Frederic Sykes advocates developing. From 

 Kantara to Karachi a flight should occupy 

 36 hours, compared with the 9 days' steamer 

 journey from Port Said to Bombay. Baghdad 

 would gain more, being a 12 hours' flight from 

 Kantara, and by the present mail route 3 weeks 

 by sea from Port Said. 



In this connection it is important to realise 



Fig. I. — Air routes: London to Cairo. From the Ceografikicai Journal. 



ocean has been the link between the home country, 

 the Indian Empire, the self-governing Dominions, 

 and other oversea possessions. In that respect the 

 British Isles are centrally situated as regards 

 routes throughout the Empire ; but for flying, the 

 position of the home country is less favourable. 

 An uncertain climate characterised by rapid 

 changes of weather and much fog militates against 

 successful aviation. Moreover, land connections 

 in provision of aerodromes are an essential in air 

 routes. 



In a recent lecture before the Royal Geo- 

 graphical Society ^ Maj.-Gen. Sir Frederic H. 



1 Geographical J ouriuil, vol Iv., No. 4, April, 1900. 



NO. 2638, VOL. 105] 



that air traffic must pay its way if air routes are 

 to become an established feature. Owing to the 

 limitations in the weight that an aeroplane can 

 carry, mails are the most suitable load. In their 

 case also saving of time is a valuable considera- 

 tion, and a return freight is ensured. Sir Geoffrey 

 Salmond points out that the maintenance of a 

 twin-engined machine, providing for a commercial 

 rate of interest, works out on any route at about 

 \os. a ton per mile. An aeroplane carrying a ton, 

 which is a fair cargo, must therefore earn 500^ 

 on a 1000-mile flight, or about 1250I. on a flight 

 from Egypt to Karachi. Little but mails could 

 bear this cost, and, their carriage being a Govern- 



