Before reading this paper, I should like to make a brief explanation of my reason for changing the published title.

The original intention was to give a survey of civil flying boats in general, but after due consideration the subject appeared to me to cover far too much ground, unless it was restricted to merely a collection of already published data of past and present aircraft of this type.

Whilst a paper of this nature would, undoubtedly, prove to be of considerable interest, yet, personally, I feel more competent to review the three types of flying boats designed purely for civil use, which have come directly under my supervision during the past eight years.