There are no suitable starting and landing places for seaplanes. CANTON For seaplanes, there are, of course, the several rivers in this district, but one point that must be taken into consideration is the very strong tide prevalent at certain times of the year and also there is hardly ever any swell on the water. This affects seaplanes to a certain extent in taking off, it being much more difficult to get off from smooth water than from choppy. HANKOW The Yangtsze River, which runs through Hankow would probably make a suitable base for seaplanes. It is almost exactly one mile broad at this point with a current that varies in speed from about six knots in the summer to two or three in the winter. Junks, sampans and other craft which ply in considerable numbers would, on the other hand, be a serious drawback. AMOY Good harbour for seaplanes, but country full of hills, and a good sloping beach would require to be artificially constructed. TSINGTAO Close to the golf course is a small bay used as a bathing beach. Dimensions about three quarters of a mile by half a mile wide at the extremity with a clear open run and the nearest hills several miles away. This bay is sheltered from rough weather and the beach is sand and slopes gently. Beyond this bay is another somewhat similar bay sheltered on one side by hills and free from bathers or bathing boxes. Both beaches are connected to the town by the asphalt road above mentioned. Existing Air Services. The Macao-Hongkong aerial company is reported as having been formed and to have made at least one flight between Macao and Hongkong. It is not utilised by the public and so far there have been no financial results. It can hardly yet justly be described as an air service in existence. It may be advisable to point out that the extremely disturbed political situation in China would be a serious obstacle to the successful development of commercial aviation, and if any enterprise of the kind is undertaken some steps, such as effective foreign control, should certainly be taken to guard against the possibility of the machines being used for military purposes.
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