IN THE AIR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 December 1927, Page 5

IN THE AIR

STRENGTH OF THE NATIONS. FRANCE LEADS THE WORLD. TIOW BRITAIN COMPARES. BY CABLE- PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIG HT. Received 9.45 a.m. to-day. LONDON, Dec. 19. Jane’s annual publication, while dealing with .the world's aircraft developments, authoritatively describing the types of no fewer than fifty countries, strongly comments on the secret policy of France, who bluntly refused to divulge any details of the number or the capabilities of her machines. Jane’s nevertheless gives remarkable figures, revealing that France had outstripped the world militarily, and possesses more machines than the rest of the Bowers combined. It similarly points out that Germany dominates commercially. The Lufthansa owns 140 air liners, linking up the whole of central Europe from the Baltic to the Mediterranean. Britain compares badly, having merely twenty liners operating half-a-dozen .routes. Nevertheless British military airships, though fewer in number, are wonderfully efficient, possessing the fastest types, together ivith an allround high standard of performance.