AERIAL NAVIGATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2767, 23 March 1910, Page 7

AERIAL NAVIGATION.

“THE VALOUR. OF IGNORANCE.” In the course of a recent speech Lord Roberts said that what kinds of machines would eventually prove most useful in war no one could say at present with any certainty. Some- favored aeroplanes, others favored dirigible balloons. Both; machines were, in their infancy, and were, no doubt, capable of great improvement. Day by day they read that aeroplanes got higher and higher, and that dirigible balloons made, longer and longer journeys. It was merely a matter of experiment and the eradication of faults for something possibly to emerge from these trials which would astonish the world. _ England certainly woke up 1 when Bleriot arrived at Dover a few months ago, for few people thought that the feat> could be accomplished. What had been ’ done now would be thought nothing of a few years hence. They had not done much iir this country yet. They had been waiting to benefit by the experience of other nations. England must not, however, fall behind. Aerial machines might be of the utmost value in the next war, and when that war might come they did not know. England must make experiments and get ready a staff of men to manage the machines when they were introduced. He believed that aerial machines would be a- great feature in future wars, and he was anxious that this countr- should wake up and do its utmost in aeronautics. Englishmen were strangely apathetic in these matters, and he thought he might apply to their attitude the title of a recent American book, “The Valour of Ignorance.” The English were brave and confident, but, perhaps, if they knew what was in store for them that confidence would not be so great unless they woke up. It was because they did not'believe that anything could happen that they were content to remain m an a thy. (Cheers.)