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that we are ahead in the art of flight。
The Naval Air Service before the war had been establishing a chain of
air stations round the coast。 These stations are at Calshot； on Southampton
Water； the Isle of Grain； off Sheerness； Leven； on the Firth of Forth；
Cromarty； Yarmouth； Blythe； and Cleethorpes。
But what is even more important is the fact that the Government is
encouraging sea…plane constructors to go ahead as fast as they can in the
production of efficient machines。 Messrs。 Short Brothers； the Sopwith
Aviation Company； and Messrs。 Roe are building high…class machines for
sea work which can beat anything turned out abroad。 Our newest naval
water…planes are fitted with British…built wireless apparatus of great range
of action； and Messrs。 Short Brothers are at the present time constructing
for the Admiralty； at their works in the Isle of Sheppey； a fleet of fighting
water…planes capable of engaging and destroying the biggest dirigible air…
ships。
In 1913 aeroplanes took a very prominent part in our naval
manoeuvres； and the cry of the battleship captains was： 〃Give us water…
planes。 Give us them of great size and power； large enough to carry a gun
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and gun crew； and capable of taking twelve…hour cruises at a speed much
greater than that of the fastest dirigible air…ship； and we shall be on the
highroad to aerial supremacy at sea。〃
The Admiralty； acting on this advice； at once began to co…operate with
the leading firms of aeroplane constructors； and at a great rate machines of
all sizes and designs have been turned out。 There were light single…seater
water…planes able to maintain a speed of over a mile a minute； there were
also larger machines for long…distance flying which could carry two
passengers。 The machines were so designed that their wings could be
folded back along their bodies； and their wires； struts； and so on packed
into the main parts of the craft； so that they were almost as compact as the
body of a bird at rest on its perch； and they took up comparatively little
space on board ship。
A brilliantly executed raid was carried out on Cuxhaven； an important
German naval base； by seven British water…planes； on Christmas Day；
1914。 The water…planes were escorted across the North Sea by a light
cruiser and destroyer force； together with submarines。 They left the war…
ships in the vicinity of Heligoland and flew over Cuxhaven； discharging
bombs on points of military significance； and apparently doing
considerable damage to the docks and shipping。 The British ships
remained off the coast for three hours in order to pick up the returning
airmen； and during this time they were attacked by dirigibles and
submarines； without； however； suffering damage。 Six of the sea…planes
returned safely to the ships； but one was wrecked in Heligoland Bight。
But the present efficient sea…plane is a development of the war。 In the
early days many of the raids of the 〃naval wing〃 were carried out in land…
going aeroplanes。 Now the R。N。A。S。； which came into being as a separate
service in July； 1914； possess two main types of flying machine； the flying
boat and the twin float； both types being able to rise from and alight upon
the sea； just as an aeroplane can leave and return to the land。 Many
brilliant raids stand to the credit of the R。N。A。S。 The docks at Antwerp；
submarine bases at Ostend； and all Germany's fortified posts on the
Belgian coast； have seldom been free from their attentions。 And when；
under the stress of public outcry； the Government at last gave its consent
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to a measure of 〃reprisals〃 it was the R。N。A。S。 which opened the
campaign with a raid upon the German town of Mannheim。
As the war continued the duties of the naval pilot increased。 He played
a great part in the ceaseless hunt for submarines。 You must often have
noticed how easily fish can be seen from a bridge which are quite invisible
from the banks of the river。 On this principle the submarine can be
〃spotted〃 by air…craft； and not until the long silence upon naval affairs is
broken； at the end of the war； shall we know to what extent we are
indebted to naval airmen for that long list of submarines which； in the
words of the German reports； 〃failed to return〃 to their bases。
In addition to the 〃Blimps〃 of which mention has been made； the
Royal Naval Air Service are in charge of air…ships known as the Coast
Patrol type； which work farther out to sea； locating minefields and acting
as scouts for the great fleet of patrol vessels。 The Service has gathered
laurels in all parts of the globe； its achievements ranging from an aerial
food service into beleaguered Kut to the discovery of the German cruiser
Konigsberg； cunningly camouflaged up an African creek。
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CHAPTER XXXVII The First Man to Fly in
Britain
The honour of being the first man to fly in this country is claimed by
Mr。 A。 V。 Roe； head of the well…known firm A。 V。 Roe & Co。； of
Manchester； and constructor of the highly…efficient Avro machines。
As a youth Roe's great hobby was the construction of toy models of
various forms of machinery； and later on he achieved considerable success
in the production of aeroplane models。 All manner of novelties were the
outcome of his fertile brain； and as it has been truly remarked； 〃his
novelties have the peculiarity； not granted to most pioneers； of being in
one respect or another ahead of his contemporaries。〃 In addition； he
studied the flight of birds。
In the early days of aviation Mr。 Roe was a firm believer in the triplane
form of machine； and his first experiments in flight were made with a
triplane equipped with an engine which developed only