The subject I have to deal with in this paper is enormous, and of vital importance to the Empire, but it is only possible to touch very lightly on the possibilities of commercial aeronautics in the time allowed this evening. My opinion is that it will revolutionise the world not only from a commercial point of view, but from a humanitarian-pont, much more indeed than it has revolutionised warfare, although the effect on that is very great.

Ladies and Gentlemen,—I think perhaps the title of my paper requires a short explanation before beginning.

A little over three years ago I was honoured by being asked to read a paper on Hying before this Society, which I then called, “Three Years’ Flying Experience.” I need hardly say that paper caused me no small amount of anxiety in preparing, even then, when a mere description of an ordinary flight would deeply interest most people, because when I came to get down to it I had to ask myself what there was I could find to talk about that would interest the learned and technical audience I knew I should have to face.

In winding up with the paper of this evening a highly-successful session of the Aëronautical Society of Great Britain, the authors desire to express their appreciation of the honour of being invited to conclude the series of lectures and papers delivered during the last six months. They hope they will not be misunderstood wThen they venture to affirm that, both in the planning of the course to cover practically every section and in the high level of excellence of the individual papers, the present necessities and the future of the science ard practice of aeronautics have been admirably served.