The
flier is sturdily built, while the floats are suf ficiently
substantial to support the craft upon the water in calm weather.
Perhaps it was the insular situation of the British nation which
was responsible for this trend of development, because so far as
Britain is concerned the sea-going aeroplane is in dispensable.
But the salient fact remains that to-day the waterplane service
of Great Britain is the most efficient in the world, the craft
being speedy, designed and built to meet the rough weather
conditions which are experienced around these islands, and ideal
vessels for patrol and raiding duties.
So far as the British practice is concerned the waterplane is
designed to operate in conjunction with, and not apart from, the
Navy. It has been made the eyes of the Navy in the strictest
interpretation of the term. In any such combination the great
difficulty is the establishment of what may be termed a mobile
base, inasmuch as the waterplane must move with the fleet. This
end has been achieved by the evolution of a means of carrying a
waterplane upon, and launching it from, a battleship, if
necessary.
Pages:
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303