SLEEP OF DEATH

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10811, 4 February 1929, Page 5

SLEEP OF DEATH

MAY FACE BRITISH NATION UNLESS AROUSED TO FEAR OF GAS WARFARE United Press Assn. by El. Tel. Copyright (Australian Press Association.> (Received Feb. 3, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. ;t. “Unless you arouse the nation to the need of organisation it might be faced with the sleep of death”, declared Lord Halsbury, when presiding at Major Humphreys’ lecture at the Royal Sanitary Society’s In. stitute on the horrors of poison gas in ihe next warfare.

Major Humphreys visualised every house fitted with a gas proof room and masked detachments engetged flushing the streets to destroy liquid pois°ns before they could disseminate their gases. He said It would also be necessary to de-contaminate clothing, also organise motor transport for the evacuation of danger zones, on each of which om bomb, of concentrated liquefied mustard gas, would devastate a square mite of territory.

(United Service.) United Press Assn, by El. Tel.. Copyright

Lord Halsbury painted a lurid picture in his speech of the effects of a gas attack on London, which, personally, he was convinced was coming. Lord Halsbury, who was-assist-ant inspector of high explosives, in the Ministry of Munitions, was engaged in the war’s closing months planning a long distance bombardment of Germany. He urged Londoners to get into a panic now about gas, instead of waiting until an atr tack was made. Dr. Hanslion, head of the German chemical warfare department, had .said “We are going to be the first nation in chemical warfare. That nation would have the bsist weapon ever forged and the comp.'etest Empire in the world.” Lord Halsbury recalled that, during an attack on a ten-mile front in France, 350 tons of phosgene gas were used. It was canalised up two valleys,'producing fatal effect in two villages 21 miles away the same night. Gas could he dropped by thirty-five aircraft to-day with similar results in the Thames Valley, and he envisaged an attack after attack on London at two-hour intervals and continued possibly for two or three days. As a chemist, he was sure a gas had already been discovered worse than anything used in the last war. It was useless to rely on gas masks since the mask was effective in the case of one gas and ineffective in another.

BRITISH ARMY ESTIMATES

EXPENSIVE CHANGE TO MECHANICAL BASTS.

United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyrlgbr (Times Cable.) (Received Feb. 3, 11.5 p.m.)

LONDON, Feb. 2. • The Army estimates f0r'1929 show a reduction of half a million sterling, which does not seem large, but big economies have already been effected. Further substantial reductions are hampered by the expensive change to a mechanical basis. The personnel is gradually being diminished with the increase in machineguns and fighting vehicles, but the savings flow into the provision of modern armament. The next estimates, in particular, include a mosquito fleet of light armoured fighting machines, new fast transport additional artillery types, and increased quotas of maeliins-gmis. The actual maintenance cost has almost reached pre-war level.

TR AINTXG OF PILOTS

United Press Assn, by El. Tel. Copyright (United Service.) (Received Feb. 4, 11.45 p.m.)

LONDON. Jan. 3

The Air Ministry, in a White paper, discloses that the Government agreed to subsidise the Deeennium national flying sendees, whereof Sir A. Cobham is director, with a view to encouraging the.training of pilots throughout Britain, the construction of British aircraft and equipment by a grant of £lO for the first triennum and £5 thereafter, payable in respect of each club member qualifying for the issue or renewal of a pilot’s license on a British-made and registered aircraft. It provides that the total grant shall not exceed £15,000 annually, and £7.500 during the post-triennium period. The company undertakes to construct and maintain twenty aerodromes and eighty landing grounds within the triermium. ..