CURLY:-
Of course, the way things go,
It wasn't long before the Powers That Be
Began to have second thoughts.
The lighter-than-air lobby,
The'Airship Push',
Were getting more powerful,
And the case was good
For airships for the Empire.
The map was daubed with red in those days.
"The sun never sets..." and all that stuff.
An Imperial airline was the plan:
Intercontinental, India in three days
Instead of seventeen days by sea.
What Ho!
For the 1924 Imperial Airship Scheme...
Two ships to start with
But who was going to build 'em:
The Government or private enterprise?
Rows in Whitehall,
Dithering in Downing Street,
Powerful groups on either side,
Questions in the House,
Cabinet Committees arguing the toss
Who've never even seen a bloody airship!
The Minister for Air
Threw his hat in the ring;
Lord Thomson had just got the job
And he wanted to shine.
This airship project
Was of national importance;
So he, and he alone,
Should be running the show...
Well, what d'you know,
There's The Great British Compromise:
The Government would build one,
A private company the other.
A sort of jolly competition:
The builders of the best ship would win
And build all the rest.
Three cheers
For that Imperial Airship Scheme,
Hip Hip!... Hip Hip!... Hip Hip!...
