C.
D.
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Hong Kong and half from Canton, and it was agreed that
the General Administration should be in the hands of
some established British Company in Hong Kong.
The organisation and operation of the actual
routes and services should be in the charge of a British
Aeronautical Adviser and Organiser.
Flying Personnel.
The flying personnel of the Company should be,
3 British Pilots.
3 British Ground Engineers.
5 Chinese Engineers.
10 Coolies.
It was hoped that at same future date Chinese pilots would be employed, but this could not be for some
time, and most certainly not before they had proved themselves capable of the work, and the Aeronautical
Adviser was satisfied that this was a wise step.
Name.
The name of the Company should be
FAR EASTERN AIRWAYS Ltd. or
HONG KONG - CANTON AIRWAYS Ltd.
GROUND SERVICES
3.
a.
Bases.
The Company is to be based at Hong Kong, and
it was considered that a suitable place for this would be The Kai Tak Aerodrome and Seaplane Base, but it was hoped that a landing stage could be arranged at some
point on the Hong Kong side.
The Canton Government Aerodrome and Seaplane
Base would be at the disposal of the Company free of charge, provided the Hong Kong Goverment offered the
same assistance.
This
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This would appear to be quite a suitable place,
and it is hoped to build a motor road across a small river that is at present bridged by a wide foot bridge.
The actual landing of mails and passengers might
have to be carried out at some more central point, in
the same manner as suggested for Hong Kong.
b. Meteorological Services.
C.
An Observatory is being exrected near the Canton Aerodrome, and weather reports will be supplied free, if
a free service is available from Hong Kong.
Wireless.
A suitable Wireless Station already exists, and the Canton Government are willing to offer the same terms as the Hong Kong Government for sending messages.
It was suggested that it would be of considerable help to the Company if messages relating to weather, machines in the air, and Company business could be sent
free, this was concurred with.
MONOPOLY.
It was explained that shareholders and the Company, would have far more confidence in the proposed air routes if the Governments concerned would grant a Subsidy and Monopoly, for at least three years.
The Monopoly should guarantee the Anglo-Chinese Company that no other Commercial Aviation Company would receive, subsidy, free Ground Services, Mail Contracts or Survey work, unless they, the Anglo-Chinese Company
were unable to carry out their obligations.
The importance of the proposed services to the district and local trade would fully justify this.
Further
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Further discussion on this point was thought
to be necessary.
AERIAL SURVEY.
The Canton Officials said that they had not
considered the possibility of Aerial Survey in connect-
ion with the formation of the proposed Company, but they
considered that this might be kept to the fore, with a
view to extending the operation of the Company in this
direction at an early date.
They said that the Land Office would have to be
consulted, and the whole question investigated by them,
before the Canton Government could take up Aerial Survey.
There would seem to be no objections to this
suggestion, and lack of knowledge seems to be the main
difficulty, this should soon be got over.
FORTIFICATIONS.
It is unfortunate that the Hong Kong
Canton
Air Route passes directly over the Tigeris Forts, and it was thought that some objection might be raised to the
machines flying over them.
This point also raised the question, should at some future date Chinese pilots be employed, would they be allowed to fly into Hong Kong Harbour, and would they
have to take special precautions to avoid passing over
the British Forts?
I explained that I considered that this was a question of co-operation between the Governments concerned, and it was agreed that they would take the matter up in Canton, whilst I would do the same in
Hong Kong.
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