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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 9 horse…power。
Later on； he turned his attention to the biplane； and with this craft he
has been highly successful。 The Avro biplane； produced in 1913； was one
of the very best machines which appeared in that eventful year。 The Daily
Telegraph； when relating its performances； said： 〃The spectators at
Hendon were given a remarkable demonstration of the wonderful qualities
of this fine Avro biplane； whose splendid performances stamped it as one
of the finest aeroplanes ever designed； if not indeed the finest of all〃。
This craft is fitted with an 80…horse…power Gnome engine； and is
probably the fastest passenger…carrying biplane of its type in the world。 Its
total weight； with engine； fuel for three hours； and a passenger； is 1550
pounds； and it has a main…plane surface of 342 square feet。
Not only can the biplane maintain such great speed； but； what is of
great importance for observation purposes； it can fly at the slow rate of 30
miles per hour。 We have previously remarked that a machine is kept up in
the air by the speed it attains； if its normal flying speed be much reduced
the machine drops to earth unless the rate of flying is accelerated by
diving； or other means。
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What Harry Hawker is to Mr。 Sopwith so is F。 P。 Raynham to Mr。 Roe。
This skilful pilot learned to fly at Brooklands； and during the last year or
two he has been continuously engaged in testing Avro machines； and
passing them through the Army reception trials。 In the 〃Aerial Derby〃 of
1913 Mr。 Raynham piloted an 80…horse…power Avro biplane； and came in
fourth。
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CHAPTER XXXVIII The Royal Flying Corps and
Royal Naval Air Service
The year 1912 was marked by the institution of the Royal Flying
Corps。 The new corps； which was so soon to make its mark in the greatest
of all wars； consisted of naval and military 〃wings〃。 In those early days
the head…quarters of the corps were at Eastchurch； and there both naval
and military officers were trained in aviation。 In an arm of such rapid
almost miraculousdevelopment as Service flying to go back a period of
six years is almost to take a plunge into ancient history。 Designs； engines；
guns； fittings； signals of those days are now almost archaic。 The British
engine of reliable make had not yet been evolved； and the aeroplane
generally was a conglomerate affair made up of parts assembled from
various parts of the Continent。 The present…day sea…plane was yet to come；
and naval pilots shared the land…going aeroplanes of their military brethren。
In the days when Bleriot provided a world sensation by flying across the
Channel the new science was kept alive mainly by the private enterprise of
newspapers and aeroplane manufacturers。 The official attitude； as is so
often the case in the history of inventions； was as frigid as could be。 The
Government looked on with a cold and critical eye； and could not be
touched either in heart or in pocket。
But with the institution of the Royal Flying Corps the official heart
began to warm slightly； and certain tests were laid down for those
manufacturers who aspired to sell their machines to the new arm of the
Service。 These tests； providing for fuel capacity up to 4。0 miles； speeds up
to 85 miles an hour； and heights up to 3500 feet； would now be regarded
as very elementary affairs。 〃Looping the loop〃 was still a dangerous trick
for the exhibiting airman and not an evolution； while the 〃nose…dive〃 was
an uncalculated entry into the next world。
The first important stage in the history of the new arm was reached in
July； 1914； when the wing system was abolished； and the Royal Naval Air
Service became a separate unit of the Imperial Forces。 The first public
appearance of the sailor airmen was at a proposed review of the fleet by
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the King at a test mobilization。 The King was unable to attend； but the
naval pilots carried out their part of the programme very creditably
considering the polyglot nature of their sea…planes。 A