Before entering upon the subject of my lecture I beg to express my feelings of gratitude for the honour and appreciation of my efforts, implied in the invitation to speak on metal aeroplane construction before so eminent and learned a body as the Royal Aeronautical Society.

In consideration of the general political situation I deem myself entitled to attribute to this invitation the deeper meaning of a token of amiable disposition given apart and beyond my person, from nation to nation, and to see in it an effort of renewing the ties of a genuine humanity, which is well aware of the unavoidableness of conflict and fight, but does not know hatred, and desires to extinguish the sad traces of a devastating war by hoisting the flag of peaceful competition.