BRITAIN'S AIR POWER.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20806, 16 March 1933, Page 7

BRITAIN'S AIR POWER.

♦ FIFTH IN FIRST-LINE STRENGTH. PEACE LINE ACTIVITIES OF AIR FORCE. (•»B'T7*j'i orricuT. wni«r,«ss.) (Received March 14, 5.53 p.m.) KUGBY, March J4. 'Presenting the Royal Air Force Estimates in the House of Commons, Sir I'hilip Sassoon, l.'iidcr-Sccrctury of State for Air, said that contributions to economy by the, Air Force had not been made without, anxiety. An apparent, rise of £OOOO in a total of £17,424,000 concealed an actual reduction of £340,000, following a decrease of £700,000 last year. No new units' were provided for, although 10 regular squadrons were still required to complete the modest programme approved as long ago as 1023. Pending the outcome of the Disarmament Conference, they were once again prepared to accept a continuance of the serious existing disparity between the strength of the Royal Air Force and that of the air services of Ihe, other great, nations. In terms of first-line strength, the Royal Air Poire slood to-day only fifth on the list of air powers, although at: the end of the war Great Britain had a larger number of trained flying men and a larger total number of aircraft than any other nation. The decision to postpone again overtaking arrears on the modest programme deemed to be Ihe minimum necessary in 102;) was a gesture of importance which would not. he hoped, lie overlooked. The air policy of Great Britain had always been conspicuously moderate and unprovocative. Nevertheless, while air forces existed, air power was as vital to the British Km pi re as sea power, and could not be neglected. Reviewing the past year's work of the Air Force. Sir Philip Sassoon referred to its many peaceful activities, mentioning among other examples the conveyance of surgical aid to sheiks in Hie deserts of Iraq, the carrying of anti-cholera and anti-typhoid vaccines to remote native villages on the Persian Gulf, the supply of food to farninestricken tribes in Trans-Jordan, the discovery of uncharted reefs, locust fighting, and the conveyance of political officers and civil mails to isolated common it ics. Three hundred aeroplanes. 452 aero engines, and other aeroplane parts of British manufacture to a total value of nearly £1.750.000, \vere exported from the United Kingdom during 1932.

In tlie debate .Mr X, Maclean (Labour) said that he believed that all air forces represented the terrorism which Mr Stanley Baldwin had said he feared would one day be loosed on civilisation. Air Winston Churchill said he agreed with Air Baldwin's statement last year about the terrible possibilities of the use of bombing aircraft in war. Air power might be the end of either war or civilisation, but Mr Baldwin's speech had aroused alarm without offering guidance or a solution. In the presenl condition of Europe, France could not be expected to redjucc her air force while Germany's remained as now. While not abandoning hope of international agreement, they should not base the life of Great Britain on that hope. They would be well advised to conceit trate upon air defence with great vigour. The motion to go into committee on the air estimates was carried by 24!) votes to 35.