CO129-497 - Public Offices - 1926 — Page 420

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Josure 3.

of machines, and the require ents for the Base and the

Personnel. It provides also an estimate of the

expenditure, capital and recurring. Any expenditure for

the acquisition of land necessary for an aerodrome will be

additional to the estimated capital expenditure of

£16,500.

There still remains for consideration the question

of the possible developments of Civil Aviation in general.

Tentative efforts have already been made on certain routes

from Hongkong, and it cannot be doubted that geographical

considerations alone will make the Colony an essential

stage in any scheme that may be developed either for

communication with the interior of China or for connecting

China with Singapore and so with lines to Europe and to

Australia.

10.

I recognise the fact that conditions in the

Colony, and perhaps in China, will make seaplanes

generally preferable to landplanes, ye: I consider it

essential to reserve sufficient ground for landplanes also.

The policy outlined in the Air Miristry notes, to which

reference is made in paragraph 6 above, shows that these

may become necessary. Lighter-than-air craft, the

development of which is foreshadowed, will, I understand

require nearly as much ground space for mooring etc. 28

it is proposed in this scheme to reserve for land planes.

Koreover, there is no other ground in the Colony or in

the New Territory which offers even moderately good

facilities for conversion into an aerodrome; and, if the

Kai Tak ground is lost, no other could replace it.

11. Pending further experience of local flying

conditions, and indications as to the beat policy to

pursue, I consider it advisable to acquire more than the

5.

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