24 MAY 1968, Page 29

Sir: In the light of Mr Hurren's 'simple ex- planation'

(Letters, 17 May) of sonic boom problems, it would be amusing to speculate on the future pattern of international airline routes: Australia could be approached, we are told, at 11,000 miles per hour—via the Cape of Good Hope, that is. New York to San Fran- cisco via Cape Horn—or perhaps the Panama Canal would suffice?

Of course, Mr Hurren could be suggesting that other people's sonic boom problems are no business of ours—or could he?