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6. Consequently the llome Office, in consultation with the other departments concerned, drew up a Bill with the short title, "The Aerial Navigation Bill, 1910" (see Appendix II of the Report and Proceedings of this Sub-Committee), the preamble to which contained an assertion of the principle of sovereignty over the air above all parts of His Majesty's dominions and the territorial waters adjacent thereto, and the text of which covered the whole of the ground dealt with in the draft convention drawn up by the International Conference.
The Aerial Navigation Act, 1911.
7. No opportunity was found, however, for passing this Bill into law, and in May 1911, in consequence of the danger to which the public was exposed at the University Boat Race, and at a flying meeting at Hendon from aeroplanes flying above the crowd, and following an accident in Paris when the French Minister of War was killed and the French Prime Minister wounded, a much shorter Act entitled "The Aerial Navigation Act, 1911," was passed. (Schedule II to this Report.)
8. This measure conferred powers on a Secretary of State from time to time for the purpose of protecting the public from danger, to prohibit the navigation of aircraft over such areas as may be prescribed in the order. The penalty for offences is imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding 200l., or both imprisonment and fine.
The present Urgency of the Question.
9. From the preceding paragraphs it will be seen that, although it has been recognised for some time past that comprehensive legislation for the control of aircraft could not long be delayed, the only practical step that has been taken has been to obtain powers to restrict flying for the purpose of protecting the public from danger, and no powers at present exist to enable the Government to restrict flights for reasons of national defence.
10. The fact that the principal practical use which has been found for aircraft up to the present time has been for naval or military purposes, has for some time past led the Admiralty and War Office to regard with some misgiving the absence of such powers, and in their opinion the events of the last year point unmistakably to the necessity for further statutory powers being obtained.
11. These events are the frequent crossing of the English Channel in aeroplanes by flying men of all nationalities; the uninvited trip of the German Zeppelin airship "Victoria Luise" over Holland on 18th June, 1912, when she travelled at a height of 300 feet over a number of Dutch works of defence; the frequent voyages of the German airships to Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland, including a trip by the Zeppelin airship "Hansa to Copenhagen in September, 1912, during the visit of Į the British first cruiser squadron; the recent incident at Sheerness, when an airship, which the Admiralty believe to have been of foreign nationality, was heard by numbers of people above the town after dark, and a somewhat similar case at Dover; and the proposed establishment of a passenger hydro-aeroplane service across the Straits of Dover.
12. The above incidents indicate that visits to this country by foreign aircraft are likely to become more and more frequent as the science of aerial navigation is further developed, especially in view of the fact that visits of a nominally private character are liable to have some military object in view.
13. The urgency of the question is not confined to the United Kingdom. At Hong Kong it has been found advisable to enact a special ordinance controlling aerial navigation, and at Gibraltar an ordinance has been drafted, but not promulgated, the matter being regarded there as one of special urgency, owing to the proximity of Spanish territory, where flying meetings have been announced. An application for advice has also been received recently from the Commonwealth of Australia.
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