Missions from Foreign Countries. No foreign missions exist at the present moment, but there are Italian machines and pilots at Shanghai and I should think it is likely that they would attempt to get in here before long. I do not think that they will have such a good reception or chance of success as we should. The majority of business people here seem keen on British machines and pilots in their services. Aircraft Competitions and Exhibitions. The only sort of thing in this line is the Rome-Tokio flight for which a general base is being made in Shanghai. General. At the present moment the British Government in Hongkong seems to be particularly apathetic over all aviation matters and I think a good hint or suggestion from the Air Ministry will help things a good deal here. It has taken three weeks to get permission for one machine to fly and then it had to be towed outside the three mile limit before it was allowed to start. If this sort of thing is allowed to go on it would kill any attempts at aviation in the Colony. 12 APRIL 1920 FRENCH AVIATION IN CHINA The fact that France is interested in Far Eastern Aviation is given prominence in the “Journal de Pekin” in issue of 11th April 1920. After explaining that French airmen were the first in China, and that it was under their instruction that the Chinese made their first attempt to become aviators, the paper goes on to outline a scheme for an aerial flight from Haiphong to Pekin. This is mainly due to the energy of Captain Roques, the French Military Attaché. The contemplated flight will follow the following route:- Haiphong - Canton - Foochow - Shanghai - Tsingtao - Tientsin - Pekin. The machines will be of the hydroplane type and will make a daily distance of seven hundred kilometres; three hundred in the morning and four hundred in the afternoon. It is planned that the machines shall give demonstrations at Canton, Shanghai and Pekin. The fact that French aviators who gained such great fame in their daring flights and manoeuvres over the enemy lines in Europe are coming to China to show their prowess is a matter of interest to all, and particularly to the Chinese who are just awakening to the value of aviation, not only from a military point of view, but as a commercial enterprise. French aviators have been very successful in teaching the Japanese the art of flying, and it will be pleasing to see their colours among those who are already demonstrating in Pekin. Every good wish will follow this attempt of the French Colonial Aviation Bureau to carry out this projected flight. (Pekin and Tientsin Times)
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