ies. For aircraft the possibilities are immense. It is not
extravagant to say that the 17th of December 1903, when the Wright
brothers made the first free flight through the air in a power-driven
machine, marks the beginning of a new era in the history of the world.

The differences to be looked for in this new era were both
over-estimated and under-estimated, according to the temper of those who
considered them. Imaginative people, and sentimental people, looked for
the speedy fulfilment of Tennyson's vision:

For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,
Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be;
Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,
Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;
Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rain'd a ghastly dew
From the nations' airy navies grappling in the central blue;
Far along the world-wide whisper of the south-wind rushing warm,
With the standards of the peoples plunging thro' the thunder-storm;
Till the war-drum throbb'd no longer, and the battle-flags were furl'd
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the World.

The Germans, who as a people fall easy victims to agreeable sentiment,
indulged extravagant hopes from war in the air, and expected great
achievements from their Zeppelins. On the other hand, the English, who
are less excitable, were comparatively slow as a nation to appreciate
the importance of the new invention. Conservative and humorous minds are
always conscious chiefly of the immutable and stable elements in human
life, and do not readily pay respect to novelty. Those who were
responsible for the naval and military defences of the country preserved
great coolness, and refused to let judgement outrun experience. They
knew well that the addition to man's resources of yet another mode of
travel or transport does not alter the enduring principles of strategy.
They regarded the experiment benevolently, and, after a time, were
willing to encourage it, but 'up to the end of the year 1911', says an
official report, 'the policy of the Government with regard to all
branches of aerial navigation was based on a desire to keep in touch
with the movement rather than to hasten its development. It was felt
that we stood to gain nothing by forcing a means of warfare which tended
to reduce the value of our insular position and the protection of our
sea-power.' When the Wright brothe