Episode Transcript
1
0:00:00,000 --> 0:00:05,000
Greetings This is a reading of the book The Airship Golden Hind
2
0:00:05,000 --> 0:00:17,000
Some of the language in this book has not aged well and is indeed no longer politicly correct Take caution when listening to this visual audio-book
3
0:00:17,000 --> 0:00:22,000
Footage and photography are provided by Photations
4
0:00:22,000 --> 0:00:33,000
At Photations we believe that the world would be a better place if people spent their time being creative Join us in practicing art so we all can be The Master of Art
5
0:00:33,000 --> 0:00:46,000
Fine Art Prints available at our store W W W dot Photation Store Dot com Keep our Artwork alive by making a donation at Photations Donations Dot com
6
0:00:46,000 --> 0:00:49,000
The Airship Golden Hind By
7
0:00:49,000 --> 0:00:51,000
Percy F Westerman
8
0:00:51,000 --> 0:00:54,000
CHAPTER 7 DELAYS
9
0:00:54,000 --> 0:00:55,000
'Avast stunting
10
0:00:55,000 --> 0:00:59,000
' declared Fosterdyke 'Let’s get on with it
11
0:00:59,000 --> 0:01:01,000
Full speed to Gib '
12
0:01:01,000 --> 0:01:16,000
Everyone on board realised that every minute was precious With her six motors running 'all out' the 'Golden Hind' quickly worked up to her maximum speed of 180 miles an hour
13
0:01:16,000 --> 0:01:37,000
At that rate the petrol consumption was alarming, but Fosterdyke faced the fact cheerfully While he was obtaining the necessary certificates and making an official declaration to the authorities at Gibraltar, the airship could replenish her somewhat depleted fuel tanks
14
0:01:37,000 --> 0:01:45,000
But Sir. Reginald had not taken into account the vagaries of red tape and petty officialdom
15
0:01:45,000 --> 0:01:46,000
At 11 A
16
0:01:46,000 --> 0:01:51,000
M the 'Golden Hind' sighted the historic Rock
17
0:01:51,000 --> 0:02:14,000
Five minutes later she slowed down and turned head to wind off the west side of the fortress With the assistance of a dockyard mooring-party, a stout galvanised steel wire was lowered from the bow compartment of the fuselage and secured to a large mooring buoy off the Detached Mole
18
0:02:14,000 --> 0:02:24,000
Then with sufficient gas in her ballonets to keep her buoyant the 'Golden Hind' floated head to wind at 50 feet above the Bay of Gibraltar
19
0:02:24,000 --> 0:02:50,000
Almost before the mooring operations were completed the water in the vicinity was crowded with boats of all sorts, sizes, and descriptions, while the water-front was packed with a dense concourse of interested spectators, representatives of the umpteen nationalities to be found living on the few square miles of thickly-populated rock
20
0:02:50,000 --> 0:03:04,000
'Nothing you want ashore, I suppose ' enquired Fosterdyke as he prepared to descend a wire ladder, the end of which was being steadied by a couple of bluejackets in a picket-boat
21
0:03:04,000 --> 0:03:06,000
'Thanks, no,' replied Kenyon
22
0:03:06,000 --> 0:03:10,000
'That’s good,' continued the baronet, fervently
23
0:03:10,000 --> 0:03:18,000
'Hate having to execute commissions Not that I don’t like obliging people, but I’m so deucedly forgetful
24
0:03:18,000 --> 0:03:20,000
Right-o stand by
25
0:03:20,000 --> 0:03:26,000
I’ll be back in less than a couple of hours, I hope Come along, Bramsdean
26
0:03:26,000 --> 0:03:55,000
' Agilely Fosterdyke swarmed down the swaying ladder, followed at a safe distance by Peter, who carried a parcel of documents and a Mercator’s chart on which the proposed route was marked for the benefit of the International Air Committee’s representative and also the 'Competent Military Authorities' of the various garrisons where the 'Golden Hind' was scheduled to land
27
0:03:55,000 --> 0:04:01,000
Peter Bramsdean had plenty of experience of petty officialdom at the Air Ministry
28
0:04:01,000 --> 0:04:25,000
He well remembered the time--running into hours all told--of weary waiting in draughty corridors until it pleased certain individuals holding high places to signify their condescension (conveyed by a pert damsel in brown overall and a pigtail tied with an enormous bow) to receive the insignificant lieutenant
29
0:04:25,000 --> 0:04:35,000
Here it was much the same The officials who were considered indispensable in the matter of signing various documents were 'out to lunch
30
0:04:35,000 --> 0:04:47,000
' A look of horrified amazement overspread the features of the minion to whom Fosterdyke suggested that time would be saved by sending for them
31
0:04:47,000 --> 0:04:56,000
The British Empire might totter the chance of winning fame by being the first airman to fly round the globe be lost
32
0:04:56,000 --> 0:05:09,000
but by no possibility must such trivial details prevent officialdom from having its lunch--a movable feast occupying normally from one o’clock till three
33
0:05:09,000 --> 0:05:18,000
'Hang it all, Bramsdean ' exclaimed Fosterdyke explosively during one of the numerous periods of forced inaction
34
0:05:18,000 --> 0:05:27,000
Clearly the usually unruffled baronet was showing signs of annoyance 'Hang it all
35
0:05:27,000 --> 0:05:36,000
It was ever thus Petty hirelings whose one idea of efficiency is to raise obstacles and to quibble over unimportant details
36
0:05:36,000 --> 0:05:43,000
those are the stumbling blocks For twopence I’d cut the cackle and carry on
37
0:05:43,000 --> 0:05:49,000
' 'And be disqualified at the winning post,' reminded the cautious Peter
38
0:05:49,000 --> 0:05:56,000
'We’re wasting precious time----' 'It’ll be an unofficial competition, then,' declared Fosterdyke
39
0:05:56,000 --> 0:06:02,000
'The honour of achieving the flight will be enough The money prize can go hang
40
0:06:02,000 --> 0:06:05,000
Come along, let’s make tracks '
41
0:06:05,000 --> 0:06:17,000
'I vote we look up the Commissioner at his private quarters,' suggested Bramsdean 'After all, the ’Golden Hind’ won’t have refilled her petrol tanks yet
42
0:06:17,000 --> 0:06:20,000
' '’Spose not,' growled Fosterdyke
43
0:06:20,000 --> 0:06:31,000
'Someone’s illegible signature’s required for the indents, I presume Right-o, Bramsdean, let’s rout out this indispensable
44
0:06:31,000 --> 0:06:37,000
' Somewhat to Peter’s surprise the official was discovered with little difficulty
45
0:06:37,000 --> 0:06:45,000
He had just finished his lunch, and as the meal had been a satisfying one, he was in high good humour
46
0:06:45,000 --> 0:06:53,000
'So Count von Sinzig has five hours’ start, eh ' remarked the worthy representative of the International Air Board
47
0:06:53,000 --> 0:06:57,000
'That’s nothing You’ll make that up easily
48
0:06:57,000 --> 0:07:00,000
The documents Ah--yes--quite so
49
0:07:00,000 --> 0:07:06,000
Unfortunately, the seals are in my office I’ll be along there very shortly
50
0:07:06,000 --> 0:07:09,000
' 'Isn’t your signature enough
51
0:07:09,000 --> 0:07:11,000
' asked the baronet
52
0:07:11,000 --> 0:07:21,000
The great one hesitated On the one hand, he wanted to impress his callers by admitting that his signature was 'absolutely it
53
0:07:21,000 --> 0:07:32,000
' On the other, years of punctilious devotion to the ethics of red tape urged him to deprecate such a cutting of the Gordian knot
54
0:07:32,000 --> 0:07:37,000
'No, Sir. Reginald,' he replied 'Both are necessary
55
0:07:37,000 --> 0:07:44,000
One is not conclusively in order without the other I’ll be at the office by three
56
0:07:44,000 --> 0:07:47,000
' It was now a quarter-past two
57
0:07:47,000 --> 0:08:03,000
Fosterdyke felt strongly inclined to enquire pointedly why three-quarters of an hour would be taken up by the Commissioner in getting from his quarters to his office
58
0:08:03,000 --> 0:08:14,000
By ten minutes past three the various documents were sealed and signed As the competitors were on the point of taking their departure the Commissioner spoke again
59
0:08:14,000 --> 0:08:22,000
'I don’t seem to have seen Form 4456,' he observed dryly
60
0:08:22,000 --> 0:08:25,000
'That had to be obtained before you left England '
61
0:08:25,000 --> 0:08:34,000
'It wasn’t,' replied the baronet, bluntly 'An oversight, I admit, but you don’t suggest that I return to England to get it
62
0:08:34,000 --> 0:08:38,000
' 'It is necessary,' was the rejoinder
63
0:08:38,000 --> 0:08:50,000
'Without it the flight would not be in order In fact, as an authorised representative of the International Air Board I can rule you out of the contest
64
0:08:50,000 --> 0:08:51,000
' 'Piffle
65
0:08:51,000 --> 0:08:57,000
' declared Fosterdyke hotly He was rapidly nearing the end of his restraint
66
0:08:57,000 --> 0:09:11,000
'This, I may observe, is a contest of aircraft, not a paper competition Form 4456 is not an absolute essential
67
0:09:11,000 --> 0:09:29,000
Since you require it, I presume the case can be met if my representative in England has the form made out and sent to you by registered post It will be in your hands before the ’Golden Hind’ completes the circuit
68
0:09:29,000 --> 0:09:50,000
' The Commissioner consulted a ponderous tome, chock-a-block with rules and regulations for aerial navigation, written in official phraseology so confusing that it was possible to have more than one interpretation for at least seventy-five per cent
69
0:09:50,000 --> 0:09:53,000
of the complicated paragraphs
70
0:09:53,000 --> 0:10:15,000
Quoting Article 1071, sub-section 3c, the official made the discovery that the rendering of Form 4456 could be dispensed with in circumstances laid down in Article 2074, section 5c, etc , etc
71
0:10:15,000 --> 0:10:34,000
Thereupon he rang a bell, summoned a head clerk, who in turn deputed a junior to fetch a certain form When this was forthcoming a blob of sealing-wax, the impress of a seal, and the great man’s illegible signature, and the trick was done
72
0:10:34,000 --> 0:10:46,000
As far as the International Air Board was concerned the 'Golden Hind' was a recognised and duly authorised competitor for the Chauvasse Prize
73
0:10:46,000 --> 0:10:55,000
There was still the Recognised Military Authority to be dealt with That official was urbanity personified
74
0:10:55,000 --> 0:11:03,000
He did everything in his power to expedite matters, but red tape was stronger than gold lace
75
0:11:03,000 --> 0:11:16,000
The loud report of a gun warned Fosterdyke and his companion that sunset had descended upon the Rock The gates of the fortress were closed till sunrise
76
0:11:16,000 --> 0:11:20,000
'Won’t affect you,' explained the courteous official
77
0:11:20,000 --> 0:11:26,000
'You can get back by the boat from the Old Mole I won’t keep you very much longer
78
0:11:26,000 --> 0:11:29,000
It really isn’t my fault '
79
0:11:29,000 --> 0:11:35,000
'Gibraltar was a bad choice of mine for a starting-point,' observed Fosterdyke
80
0:11:35,000 --> 0:11:39,000
'’Fraid so,' agreed the other 'Ah, here we are
81
0:11:39,000 --> 0:11:43,000
Thank you, Wilson Where’s my fountain pen
82
0:11:43,000 --> 0:11:46,000
Where’s---- Oh, dash it all, where’s everything
83
0:11:46,000 --> 0:11:50,000
That’s settled, then Have a drink before you go
84
0:11:50,000 --> 0:11:55,000
No Well, cheerio, and the very best of luck
85
0:11:55,000 --> 0:12:04,000
' Armed with the necessary documents, 'sealed, signed, and delivered,' Fosterdyke and Bramsdean found themselves in the open air
86
0:12:04,000 --> 0:12:16,000
Darkness had already fallen It was a good two miles from Little Europa Point to the Old Mole, and not a vehicle of any sort was to be seen
87
0:12:16,000 --> 0:12:24,000
Tired, hot, and hungry they reached the spot where a naval pinnace was supposed to be awaiting them
88
0:12:24,000 --> 0:12:31,000
It was not there A message erroneously delivered had sent the boat back to the dockyard
89
0:12:31,000 --> 0:12:42,000
Not to be done, Fosterdyke hired a native boat, paying without demur a villainous-looking Rock Scorp the excessive sum he demanded
90
0:12:42,000 --> 0:12:54,000
For a quarter of an hour the boat rowed about while the baronet and his companion gazed aloft in the hope of spotting the 'Golden Hind' against the dark sky
91
0:12:54,000 --> 0:12:57,000
'She’s gone ' declared Bramsdean
92
0:12:57,000 --> 0:12:58,000
'Nonsense
93
0:12:58,000 --> 0:13:03,000
' exclaimed Fosterdyke, irritably 'Why should she
94
0:13:03,000 --> 0:13:09,000
' Nevertheless in his mind he was convinced that such was the case
95
0:13:09,000 --> 0:13:15,000
Presently the boat ran close to the buoy to which the airship had been moored
96
0:13:15,000 --> 0:13:27,000
Both men recognised the buoy by the number painted on it No wire rope ran upwards to an invisible object floating in the darkness of the night
97
0:13:27,000 --> 0:13:33,000
Unaccountably, mysteriously the 'Golden Hind' had disappeared
