Now that the sport of aviation, and therefore the industry

of aeroplane manufacture also, is rapidly reaching

a comparatively settled stage, and now that a very

active season is evidently before us, it is fitting

once more to consider the best directions in which

to encourage the energy of pioneer pilots for the

development of the machines that are destined at

an only slightly later stage to bring the sport within

the sphere of the bona fide amateur owner. During

the past year there have been a considerable number of

competitions of one kind and another, and although any

type of event, or even, for that matter, every individual

flight, is instructive and to that extent useful, it has become

evident that in order to cultivate both progress and interest

at one and the same time, and to the very best advantage,

there is room for the display of some amount of discretion

in the selection of the kind of competition that is most

calculated to serve these ends. Above all, we think it

must be recognised that, at the moment, the aeroplane of

to-day is somewhat of a forced growth, in spite of the

veritable marvels that can be performed with it. It is

useless to deny that, even if the actual art of flying is no

longer an altogether uncertain matter, yet the construction

of the machines still leaves a good deal to be desired as

regards the reduction of the risk that is run by those

riding upon them.