the "wail" was directed against the scrapping of expensive material, and the withdrawal from the R.F.C. of perfectly good machines which were needed for practice. If the managers of the firms which were thus deliberately ruined had been asked decently to build biplanes they would have done so. In fact, Mr. Flan

ders-one of the victims-did build a biplane which was at least the equal of anything the R.A.F. has ever turned out.

An attempt was made at the same time to squeeze out the Avro biplane, which only failed because the Admiralty kept the firm alive when the Army, apparently acting on R.A.F. advice, left them without orders for something like a year.

The Impartial Witness.

"Ornis" has sufficient subtlety to mention the winning of the Schneider Cup by the Sopwith sea-tabloid -as proof of biplane efficiency and of his own impartiality-but all good work by other British aeroplanes is carefully ignored-naturally, the efficiency of the Avros and of the Sopwith and Bristol tabloids would be too painful a subject to mention.

The only other reference to the R.A.F.'s rivals are to fatal accidents on a Blériot, a Bristol, a Maurice Farman, a Morane.

The official excuse for the death of Captain Downer through the collapse of a B.E. is carefully given, and then it is definitely stated that "A fatal accident on an old B.E. in March was due to wear and tear before the flight, by reason of apparent rough usage through some eighteen months. The warning here doubtless contributed to spread the excellent system of overhaul that is used by the Army Aeronautical Inspection Department." Some people, of course, have no consciences, but that unofficial explanation of the deaths of Captain Allen and Mr. Burroughs through the breaking of an obviously inadequate rudder-post is a trifle past the limit.

Inspired Humour.

A reference to the Aero-engine Competition brings in perhaps the most humorous touch in the article. "The aeronautical engine has taken its position among British manufacturers by reason of the Government's aeroplane engine competition of March-June. Its substantial prize of £45,000 was carried off by the Green water-cooled engine, and large orders were also placed for the Royal Aircraft Factory's design of air-cooled engine."

For years the Green has been heartily condemned and discouraged by the R.A.F. staff. Mr. Fred May, being about the most obstinate man in the world, barring the editor of THE AEROPLANE, still persisted, and after winning every competition open to British engines except one-his engine captured the latest and biggest prize-which was not £45,000, unfortunately. Then the R.A.F. suddenly decided to "corner" Greens and fit them to the latest R.A.F. brain-storm, the F.E.2c., for which they had to have the biggest engine immediately available. Consequently, poor "Ornis" has to fall into line with this paper for once and praise the Green engine to save the R.A.F.'s face.

His attempt to couple with the Green the R.A.F.'s air-cooled engine-a crib of the Renault, with Salmson patent valve-springs-is daring, but people have not quite forgotten that the R.A.F.'s engine went to pieces on the testing machinery devised by the R.A.F. for the discomfiture of others; nor have they forgotten the

A Straight Question.

As the R.A.F. is out to advertise the B.E.2c. by every method at its disposal, will the Aeronautical Inspection Department have an 80-h.p. Avro and a Martinsyde "tabloid" fitted with streamline wires, and stripped chassis, and let the world know what they can do in the way of speed?

The B. E.2c. did under 70 m.p.h. with ordinary wires and chassis. The makers now advertise its flying speed at 80

pretty phrase of a certain engineer who remarked of the R.A.F. engine: "If it runs for ten minutes it becomes a glowing mass." It has always been something of a puzzle to understand why the R.A.F.-a purely experimental establishment, we are told-was allowed to order its own unproved engine in quantities while thoroughly tried engines like the Anzani-which did as well as anything in the competition are left without orders.

"Ornis" continues: "This very successful competition also caused the Gnome, the Renault, the CantonUnné, and the Austro-Daimler types of engine, all of which were doing well, to be articles of British make just when they were most wanted." It will be noted that he carefully omits the Anzani, but includes the Renault, which was not even in the competition; but then the Renault happens to be in favour with the R.A.F.-so accuracy of statement does not matter.

As to the others, to-day, after six months of war, very few of the British-built engines have been delivered, whereas any of the makers would have started building a year or two ago if they had received the slightest encouragement. But in those days the R.A.F. was trying to make its own engine run, so anything which was likely to produce a successful rival in this country was rather cleverly discouraged. The hypocritical congratulations of "Ornis" to those who have scored in spite of the efforts of his friends at the R.A.F. would be quite funny if they were not so nauseating. He is a humorist in his way, but, on the whole, I prefer Harry Tate to Uriah Heep.

Flights of Fancy.

By way of a finish "Ornis" puts in a few words for other members of the Mutual Admiration Society. He refers to the experiments, both model and full scale, of the National Physical Laboratory, "which had achieved stability-experiments vouched for by Colonel Seely, who, with characteristic pluck, verified them by making uncontrolled flights in person, without any previous practice." One may add that these were as nothing to Colonel Seely's prior and subsequent uncontrolled flights of fancy, resulting doubtless from his extensive previous practice in what Mr. Churchill calls "terminological inexactitudes."

And so far as knowledge of inherent stability learnt from experiments with models is concerned, one Chief Petty Officer Sayers, R.N.-late of this paper-knew as much two or three years ago as the N.P.L. and R.A.F. together appear to know to-day.

Finally, "Ornis" remarks: "If the return of peace does not see the beginning of commercial aeronautics, postal aviation, and rapid aerial passenger services it will be for other reasons than any unreliability of the aeroplane or the aeroplane pilot." Here I must profess myself in perfect agreement with "Ornis," and with Mr. Mervyn O'Gorman, C.B., Superintendent of the Royal Aircraft Factory, who at various Aeronautical Society meetings has expressed almost exactly similar views. If "commercial aeronautics" is not then a success it will be because the firms who have been enticed into the aeroplane industry by orders for machines to R.A.F. designs have lost so much money that they regard "commercial aeronautics" as a fiasco. However, there may still be enough independent firms building to their own designs to develop the commercial aeroplane, without the assistance, or interference, of "Ornis" and the Government Mutual Admiration Society.-C. G. G.

m.p.h., though the machine faked to do this speed is not suitable for ordinary military use in the hands of average pilots and mechanics. With ordinary cables and a huge central skid, the Avro does 84 m.p.h., and the Martinsyde, with the unnecessarily cumbersome chassis which the Army insists on having, does 87 m.p.h. What would they do if faked to match the B.E.2c., and how many times as fast would they climb? Be it remembered also that their horse-power is less.

Flying Officer-Captain Bernard E. Smythies, Royal Engineers. Dated January 20th, 1915.

SUPPLEMENTARY TO REGULAR Units or Corps.--Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing).-The date of appointment of Second Lieutenant James Valentine is August 6th, 1914, and not as stated in the "Gazette" of August 11th, 1914.

The undermentioned to be second lieutenants (on probation). Dated January 25th, 1915: Charles Percy Ogden and Richard Hamilton Collier. Dated February 1st, 1915: Marwood Elton Lane and John Everard Storey.

WAR OFFICE, February 3rd.

REGULAR FORCES.-Commands and Staff.-Railway Transport Officer. (Graded for purposes of pay as a Staff Captain)— Lieutenant Frederick William Abraham, Royal Naval Air Service, and to be temporary captain. Dated December 10th, 1914. (Substituted for the notification which appeared in the 'Gazette" of January 1st, 1915.)

ESTABLISHMENTS.-Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing).— The undermentioned temporary appointments are made:Flying Officer-Captain Hugh L. Reilly, 82nd Punjabis, Indian Army. Dated August 5th, 1914.

Sydney Charles Parr to be temporary quartermaster, with the honorary rank of Lieutenant. Dated November 5th, 1914. INSPECTION STAFF.-Assistant Inspector-Captain J. H. Robinson, the Suffolk Regiment, and to be seconded. Dated January 27th, 1915.

SUPPLEMENTARY TO REGULAR UNITS OR CORPS.-Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing).--The undermentioned to be second lieuDated tenants (on probation): Ernest Alfred Edward Wood. December 22nd, 1914. Dated January 19th, 1915: Ernest Edward Hodgson, late second lieutenant 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers), and Lionel Macdonald Wells Bladen, Louis Frederick Rudston Fell. Dated February 1st, 1915.

A Supplement to the "London Gazette" of February 5th, published on February 6th, contains the following military appointment :

WAR OFFICE, February 6th.

REGULAR FORCES.-Supplementary to Regular Units or Corps. --Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing).-Second Lieutenant (on probation) Owen B. Howell resigns his commission. Dated February 7th, 1915.

A Second Supplement to the "London Gazette" of February 5th, published on February 8th, contains the following military appointments :

WAR OFFICE, February 8th.

REGULAR FORCES.-Commands and Staff.-The undermentioned appointment is made:

BRIGADE COMMANDERS. Lieutenant-Colonel (Honorary Colonel) the Right Hon. John E. B. Seely, D.S.O., Hampshire (Carabiniers) Yeomanry, Territorial Force, and to be temporary brigadier-general. Dated January 28th, 1915.

ESTABLISHMENTS.-Royal Flying Corps.-(Military Wing).— The undermentioned appointments are made :—

Flight Commanders. Dated January 27th, 1915: Lieutenant Patrick H. L. Playfair, Royal Artillery, from a flying officer, and to be temporary captain; Lieutenant Alexander Shekleton, the Royal Munster Fusiliers, from a flying officer, and to be temporary captain; and Captain Hugh C. T. Dowding, Royal Artillery, from a General Staff officer, third grade.

The appointment of Second Lieutenant James Valentine to be a flying officer, notified in the "Gazette" of December 15th, 1914, is antedated to August 6th, 1914.

The following appointments were made at the Admiralty on February 6th :

Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenants-C. N. Leeston-Smith, to the "Pembroke III," to date February 5th, and E. F. Bray, E J. Hodsoll, E. I. M. Bird, P. C. V. Perry, T. Hinshelwood, J. C. Brooke, and C. H. Chichester Smith, to the "Pembroke III," to date February 1st, all for Royal Naval Air Service

Mr. G. Donald, entered as probationary flight sub-lieutenant and appointed to the "Pembroke III," for Royal Naval Air Service, to date February 5th.

Flight Sub-Lieutenant J. M. D'Arcy has been promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant, with seniority February 1st.

*

The following appointment was made at the Admiralty on February 8th-Mr. J. B. P. Ferrand has been entered as probationary flight sub-lieutenant and appointed to the "Pembroke III.," additional, for Royal Naval Air Service, to date February 6th.

The inquest on the bodies of Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant B. W. Hart, R.N.A.S., and Lieut. Simpson, A.S.C., who were shot by sentries on the sea-front at Torquay, was concluded at Torquay on February 3rd. The lamentable nature of the incident is too well known to need repetition in these columns. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death,” adding a rider that with a view to public safety the military authorities should exercise greater discretion in the selection of more efficient men for patrol duty on the public highway.

Sub-Lieut. Hart was a direct-appointed officer under instruction, and had not at the time of his death taken his certificate. The sympathy of all is due to his relatives and friends.