of Spain (Trinidad), Bridgetown (Barbados) and Georgetown (British Guiana) and also to establish a forecast service at the last named town. Details of the meteorological arrangements suggested for the air service and estimates of their cost are shown in Appendix C. The scheme contemplates that three aircraft, of the type described in Appendix A, would be provided, two for the maintenance of the service and one in reserve. The latter would be available for special work. With full loads and 100 per cent. efficiency in operation the total cost per passenger-mile works out at 54d. and the cost per ton-mile at 5s. 1d. These costs would be doubled with 50 per cent. loads. The service comprises five sections: (a) GEORGETOWN-KAMAKUSA. The opportunities on this section appear so favourable that provision has been made for a service in each direction every weekday. This would give a maximum carrying capacity of 5,616 passengers and 500 tons of goods. This number of passengers represents roughly 15 per cent. of the total passenger traffic on the Mazaruni River in 1925, according to the Report mentioned earlier. In view of the hazardous nature of the journey by river and through the bush under existing conditions, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the short trip of 14 hours by air would attract sufficient traffic to make up full loads. On the return journey the machines could be used, inter alia, for the conveyance of packets of diamonds, a form of freight which would bear a high rate in consequence of reduced insurance charges resulting from this means of transport. An indication of the possible passenger and freight rates can be obtained from a consideration of the following estimated costs, spread over a full load and a half load respectively: Three journeys a week in each direction would be made, each taking about 1 hours. This service is intended to cater for traffic both to the Kaieteur Falls and to the mineral-bearing areas in the Potaro region. 2,808 passengers and 250 tons of goods could be carried per annum. As regards passengers, this represents about 30 per cent. of the total traffic-to the district in 1925. As explained earlier, this route appears to offer promising prospects for tourist traffic. The costs of a single journey would be :— Two journeys per week in each direction, of about 4 hours' duration each, are proposed. The amount of traffic on the route is ample to provide full loads, there being, in addition to passengers, a considerable amount of mail traffic to and from the United Kingdom, a certain proportion of which would no doubt be available for carriage by air. For purposes of comparison, however, the costs for a single journey, spread over a full load and a half load respectively, may be stated: Cost per passenger Cost per lb. of goods (d) PORT OF SPAIN-BARBADOS. Full Load. £ s. d. 0 0 10 Half Load. £ s. d. 16 10 0 018 A service from Port of Spain to Bridgetown and back on one day in each week is suggested. The single journey would last about 2 hours. Full Load. £ s. d. Cost per passenger 5 1 0 Half Load. £ s. d. 10 2 0 010 (e) PORT OF SPAIN-LA GUAIRA—Curaçao—Maracaibo. One journey per week in each direction, taking about 9 hours. Half Load. Cost per lb. £ s. d. s. d. £ s. d. s. d. Port of Spain-La Guaira 8 12 0 0 10 17 4 0 1 84 093 Curaçao-Maracaibo 0 111 7. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. The possibilities of the air services, described in paragraph 6, are so far reaching, particularly in the case of the suggested internal services in British Guiana, that we have every hope as to their ultimate commercial success. For a period, however, until the utility of the service has been demonstrated by systematic operation it cannot be expected that remunerative loads will be secured. But, assuming that only half loads are carried, the costs per journey for the various sections, as shown above, are so high that traffic by air would be unlikely to develop on account of the high scale of fares which would have to be charged. To make it possible for the operating company to charge from the beginning, fares which would bear comparison with present first class rates, bearing in mind the very considerable saving in time by air, we consider that financial assistance will be required until a sufficient volume of traffic has been attracted to the air service by its proved reliability and value. 8. CANADA AND THE WEST INDIES. In view of the recent development of trade between Canada and the West Indies, we desire, although the subject is outside our terms of reference, to draw attention to the advantages which would accrue from the establishment of an air service between these two parts of the Empire. 9. SUMMARY. Our conclusions and recommendations may be briefly summarised as follows: (i) A scheme for an air service covering the whole area of the West Indies is not yet commercially practicable. (ii) The British centres which offer at present the most favourable commercial prospects for regular air services are :-British Guiana (Georgetown) and Trinidad (Port of Spain). (iii) From these centres the following routes present opportunities for remunerative air services, if combined into one scheme with a common base (vide Appendix A). (a) Georgetown-Kamakusa. (b) Georgetown-Kaieteur Falls. (c) Georgetown-Port of Spain. (d) Port of Spain---Barbados. (e) Port of Spain-La Guaira-Curaçao-Maracaibo. (iv) The local Governments should provide the essential wireless and meteorological facilities (vide Appendices B and C) and also, in the case of British Guiana, a site at Georgetown for a slipway and hangar. (vi) Opportunities also exist in the West Indies generally for the advantageous employment of aircraft on survey work and to facilitate administration. In particular in the Bahamas they could be used for work in connection with the administration of the lighthouse service. In Trinidad investigation should be made of the possibility of employing aircraft to "dust" the sugar cane areas for the purpose of eradicating insect pests. (vii) There are prospects of future development of tourist traffic on an increasing scale in the West Indies. This traffic would prove a source of considerable additional revenue to any air operations which might be established and could cater for it, but, for obvious reasons, cognisance cannot be taken of it in framing estimates for regular services. We have had the assistance at several of our meetings of Mr. D. G. H. Gordon, O.B.E., Honorary Secretary of the West Indian Aviation Committee, a body which is closely watching all questions affecting civil aviation in the West Indies; we have also had the assistance of Major H. Hemming, A.F.C., whose personal experience of aviation in the West Indies has been readily put at the service of the Committee. We desire to express our thanks to these gentlemen and also to Mr. Burkett, of whose ability as Secretary we have formed a very high opinion and whose services in that capacity have been invaluable to the Committee. (Signed) W. S. BRANCKER (Chairman). ALGERNON ASPINALL. F. G. L. BERTRAM. IVAN DAVSON. IVO EDWARDS J. MCEWAN MARTIN. F. H. WILLIAMSON. R. A. WISEMAN. W. W. BURKETT (Secretary). 25th October, 1926. PROPOSED AIR SERVICES IN THE WEST INDIES. 1. The following scheme provides for : (a) Six services a week in each direction between Georgetown and Kamakusa. (b) Three services a week in each direction between Georgetown and Kaieteur Falls. (c) Two services a week in each direction between Georgetown and Port of Spain. (d) A weekly service in each direction between Port of Spain and Barbados. (e) A weekly service in each direction between Port of Spain and Maracaibo, calling at La Guaira and Curaçao. 2. The services are based on Georgetown, where the headquarters of the operating company, all workshops, etc., would be located. 3. The type of aircraft proposed to be employed is a monoplane of allmetal construction, fitted with two all-metal floats and equipped with three air-cooled radial engines of 420 horse-power each. A machine of this type is at present in the design stage. The estimates have been based on a seating capacity for 18 passengers, or a paying load capacity of 3,600 lb., and a cruising speed of 100 miles per hour. The designer considers, however, that a considerably higher performance in respect of carrying capacity and speed will be attained with this type of aircraft. Any improvement in performance would effect a reduction both in the estimated costs and charges of the proposed services. 4. The employment of three aircraft is contemplated, two being used daily on the services, while the third is held in reserve. 5. This machine in reserve could be used for supplementary or special flights, as required. TIME-TABLE. Section (a). Georgetown-Kamakusa. (142 miles.) Machine A Daily service 0800 Dep. | Georgetown Arr. 1130 Daily service except Sun- 0930 Arr. V Kamakusa Dep.1000 except Sunday. Section (b). Georgetown-Kaieteur Falls. Falls. Section (c). Georgetown-Port of Spain. Machine B Tuesday and 0800 Dep. Georgetown Saturday. 1140 Arr. V Port of day. (151 miles.) Arr. 1710 Monday,Wed- (360 miles.) Arr. 1140 Monday and Section (d). Port of Spain-Barbados. (220 miles.) Machine B Tuesday .. Spain. Arr. 1730 Tuesday. Dep.1515 Spain 1445 Arr. V Barbados Section (e). Port of Spain-Maracaibo. Machine B Wednesday.. | 0830 Dep. Port of (756 miles.) Arr. 1720 Thursday. Spain 1215 Arr. La Dep. 1335 1300 Dep. Guaira Arr. 1245 |