’ ▁mail ▁within ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁by ▁air . ▁Imperial ▁Air ways ▁was ▁a ▁private ▁company , ▁but ▁like ▁most ▁air lines ▁of ▁the ▁era , ▁re lied ▁on ▁public ▁subs id ies ▁( in ▁this ▁case , ▁from ▁the ▁Air ▁Ministry ) ▁to ▁support ▁its ▁operations . ▁A ▁critical ▁driving ▁force ▁behind ▁E A MS ▁was ▁Sir ▁Christopher ▁L le wel lyn ▁Bul lock ▁K . C . B , ▁C . B . E ., ▁P erman ent ▁Under - Secret ary ▁at ▁the ▁British ▁Air ▁Ministry ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁ ▁App oint ed ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 3 8 , ▁he ▁remains ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁young est ▁civil ▁servants ▁to ▁have ▁head ed ▁a ▁British ▁Government ▁department . ▁ ▁E A MS ▁was ▁a ▁h ug ely ▁expensive ▁plan , ▁and ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁finan cially ▁acceptable ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Government , ▁subs id ies ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁support ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁‘ D omin ions ’ ▁( es pecially ▁South ▁Africa , ▁India ▁and ▁Australia ), ▁and ▁the ▁colon ies ▁of ▁the ▁Empire . ▁In ▁this ▁way , ▁E A MS ▁served ▁another ▁of ▁Ged des ’ ▁a ims , ▁namely ▁to ▁prevent ▁local ▁Indian , ▁South ▁African ▁and ▁Australian ▁operators ▁from ▁opening ▁up ▁international ▁air ▁routes . ▁ ▁Political ▁agreement ▁from ▁within ▁the ▁Empire ▁was ▁finally ▁reached ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁after ▁the ▁Austral ians ▁held ▁out ▁for ▁a ▁better ▁financial ▁deal .