AIR OR SEA?

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 28 August 1926, Page 9

AIR OR SEA?

JAPANS DEFENCE PROBLEM. \ SOME INTERESTING TESTS. TOKYO, August 16. Naval and military 'planes yesterday bombarded an abandoned fortress at Hiroshima, on the Inland Sea. The results have not been announced. This is claimed to be the first time that the effect of bombs on fortifications has been tesetd.. The Japanese Air Force advocates the carrying out of a campaign of publicity in support of a large appropriation at the expense of the navy, which, however, is combating the idea, arguing that Japan needs ships before 'planes. One night last week two battleships practised with two condemned destroyers as targets, illuminating £hese with star shells. They fired 80 rounds at a range of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) without registering a single hit. Next day, 'planes sank one destroyer, the other becoming a close-range target for the battleship Nagato's 16-inch guns. Advocates of an increased air force point out that all Japan is within flying range of incendiary bombing 'planes from Vladivostok. They also claim that Russia is the third aviation Power. The following table shows the comparative strengths of the air forces of the leading Powers at June 30 last year: Planes. Personnel. France (1542servic2 3e,286 (4000 reserve Britain 1053 32,658 U.S.A 1423 14,848 Italy ( 750serrice 11,410 ( 750 reserve Japan 1300 7,836