POWER IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 148, 19 March 1931, Page 9

POWER IN THE AIR

Britain Still Lags Behind FUTURE DEVELOPMENT New Planes; Fewer Faults DANGERS OF COMPETITION (Ree. March IS, 5.5 p.mfl) British Wireiew Rugby, March 17. Important developments in aviation were mentioned by the Undersecretary for Air, Mr. F. Montague, when in the House of Commons today he introduced the Air Estimates for the next year, totalling £18,000,000, which is £250,000 more than last year’s estimate. Mr. Montague said that three new squadrons would be provided for home defence in accordance with the scheme on which the Air Ministry had been ■working for some years, and Great Britain would then have 42 squadrons with a first line strength of about 490 aircraft. ~ The Government wished to avoid any race in air armaments, and they looked for substantial results from the coming World Disarmament Conference. It was a fact, however, that Britain stood fifth in first line strength among the air Powers of the world, and her smaller strength was much more widely distributed, as it had to bear a much bigger responsibility for air defence abroad. Britain’s Meagre Showing. British air expenditure was, roughly, 1 per cent lower than five years ago, while the French expenditure was up over 130 per cent,, Italian by, roughly, 40 per cent., and the United States by over 150 per cent Mr. Montague referred in detail to important research work in progress on many problems affecting the safety, efficiency, and comfort of aircraft, and to the system of inspection through all stages of manufacture from raw materials onwards. He claimed that accidents attributable to faults In workmanship or material had been reduced to the very rarest occurrence, and that the system of inspection had combined with the quality of British workmanship to place the British aircraft industry in a paramount position. ... . Turning to developments in civil aviation, he said that the opening of the northern section of the route from Cairo to Cape Town was a matter for congratulation. Before the end of the year the whole of the route would be in operation, and would ultimately be linked by feeder lines from many vast and wealthy undeveloped areas. Italian Right-of-way. In connection with this service and the service, to India, which were both fed by the service from London to Egypt, he was happy to announce that by the terms of the Anglo-Italian Convention it was provisionally agreed that Imperial Airways were granted permission to operate with land planes via Milan, Rimini, and Brindisi.Assuming that the London-Egypt service reverted to the Italian route, the journey between London and Cape Town would ultimately take 10J days. A tentative scheme had been prepared for a weekly air mail service between Calcutta and Australia to link up with the existing passenger and mail service between England and India. The proposed British air services in the West Indies and between the West Indies and Canada would be divided into two sections, the first covering the West Indian islands, and penetrating into Bfitish Guiana, and the second a weekly service between Trinidad and Montreal by way of Bermuda. The scheme depended upon the co-operation of Canada, and negotiations were proceeding. • Possibility of Attack. Mr. Montague said that until the report of the Simon Court of Inquiry into the RlOl disaster had been considered an attempt to discuss future airship policy would be premature. Sir Samuel Hoare, Air Minister In the Conservative Government, emphasised the rapid growth of the destructive power of the air arm and the increase of air expenditure by other nations. Reduction of air armaments at the forthcoming World Conference was, he

said, of vital importance to Great Britain, provided that she secured a standard of parity with other great European Powers. Sir Samuel Hoare said that the: League Covenant and the Kellogg j Paet did not guar-j an tee the country 1 against the possi-

bility of an instantaneous air attack. This possibility made the nations of Europe nervous and Britain’s position most unsatisfactory.