THE AIR MENACE

Evening Star, Issue 18394, 1 October 1923, Page 7

THE AIR MENACE

DANGERS TO GREAT BRITAIN.

With regard to attacks from. Uio air (writes Sir Charles Bright, in the ‘ Quarterly Review ’), Great Britain is eminently vulnerable. It would, indeed, bo no exaggeration to say that this country is the most vulnerable in tho world. Wo are absolutely dependent on imported food toi onr existence. Occasionally the stock of bread corn suffices only for a, few weeks. Whenever our stores run low a short blockade might cause general starvation and force the nation to its knees. It scarcely needs lengthy argument and description to show that tho foodships travelling to this country can more easily bo turned back or destroyed by a predominant air force, even if relatively small in number, than by a very large number of submarines and surface ships. There is even a still greater danger than that’of blockading these islands from tho air. The position of London invites bombardment with high explosives gas, chemicals. London lies nearer tho sea border than anv central European capital. While only about one-tenth of tho French live in Paris, about one-fifth of the British live in London. London can easily bo found in any weather because of its himo size, and especially because of the Thames. In Paris, Berlin, and Vienna and other capitals tall houses provided with deep collars are general. The people may find shelter against high explosive bombs in the cellars, and, if heavy gas is used, may take refuge iu tho upper stories of houses. The vast majority of tho people of London live in low houses unprovided with underground cellars. If London is bombarded with gas which rrics ito an altitude of 20ft or 30ft the great majority of the population might be exterminated within a very short time. The military and naval value of aeroplanes and airships is already great. It seems certain, however, that wo stand merely on the threshold of aerial development. The airship and the aeroplane of five years, ten years, or fifteen years hence will probably stand in the same relation to the airship and tho aeroplane of the present as that in which tho 18in naval fan does to the guns used by Nelson and y the men of the Armada. It must bo remembered that the steamship, the railway, the motor oar, and many similar inventions wore for a long time considered of doubtful value, and that torpedoes and submarines were laughed at. The future development of tlm air weapon may surpass tlie wildest expectations of the most imaginative writers of fiction. It is therefore absolutely necesse.ry that Great Bri tain should bo abreast of tho times and as far advanced as any other nation in the production of airships and aeroplanes.