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step, not an end in itself. To be of any practical use the machines must
be able to carry a pay-load sufficient to make the whole undertaking
worth while. One may say with justice that the technical problems are in
a fair way to being solved, but the same cannot yet be said of the economic,
and to justify the energy and money being expended on the first experiments
it is well to look ahead and to examine the prospects.
The Question of Pay-load
The aircraft which are being used on the experimental flights have
little chance of proving able to carry a sufficient pay-load. It is thought
that much larger machines of the same general type might be able to show
a profit, but that still remains to be proved. Such aircraft are being built
on both sides of the Atlantic. In the meantime work is nearing completion
on the Short-Mayo composite aircraft, in which the upper component is a
«mall but very heavily loaded seaplane that is carried to its operating
height by the „mother" boat. The uper component then proceeds on its
way and the lower returns to its base.
Foto Shell aviation News.
This small machine should be able to carry a fairly reasonable pay-load,
although doubtless better results could have been obtained with a landplane
with retractable undercarriage. Certain technicians foresee the possibility
of combining cruising speeds of 300 m.ph. with long range and a fairly
large pay-load. Should that view prove correct, the pioneering work with
more orthodox aircraft will still prove invaluable, for it will have provided
experience for crews and data for the engineers.
C. SHOULD JAPAN FIGHT BRITAIN.
By Lieut.-Commander Naomiki Saito x)
(Editors' noteThe following is a translation from the article contri
buted by Lieut-Commander Saito, of the Imperial Navy, to the latest
issue of the „Keizai Magazine." While the view presented therein does
not necessarily represent ours, it is given for its timely interest and also
in view of the growing importance of the issues arising between Japan
and Britain with regard to China.)
Van de Keizerlijke Japansche Marine.
