The North Otago Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1916 MASTERY OF THE AIR.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13664, 5 September 1916, Page 2

The North Otago Times TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1916 MASTERY OF THE AIR.

Doubtless the people nf Lomlon nvc beoiuninn; to realise flial llio conquest

of the niv by man has revolutionised the art. of war and so profound is the revolution that its whole meaning lias not, to been grasped by Britishers. Despite, the remarkable progress that has been achieved since the outbreak of the war and the statements by a British Minister that hostile aircraft coming to England "would be promptly attacked in .superior force by a swarm of hornets," the shores of Britain are open to the incursions of Zeppelins-in any number. Periodical raids are being carried out and the invaders appear to be getting bolder and- more numerous and are attacking the very portals of London—the nerve-centre nf the British Empire. The raid described this morning is the most important yet attempted, and although one of the invaders was destroyed, its significance must not be overlooked. Naturally a good deal of discussion is proceeding in England'about Zeppelin raids, and the parliamentary and civic authorities are not escaping the stinging criticisms that are being hurled at all and sundry. It is noticeable, however, that the British statesmen are awaking to the very much larger and graver problem of which these raids are but incidentsthe problem of mastery of the air. That is a matter of life and death, to an island I'ower. In a very short time command of the air will be as essential to Great Britain as command of the seas, In the past that command lias rendered the heart of the Empire absolutely safe, Already il is no longer safe from insult, in the near future it will not be safe from serious attack, however eniiiplel(f Britain's control of the seas may be. The moral, from the palpable fads of the situation is plain. Great Britain niusl be as strong in the air as she is upon I he waters, There is little use in keeping the enemy out by water, if ever he can strike the Homeland ell'eclively from the air. Aeronautics are still in their infancy, but they promise to revolutionise the. whole

system of island defence, as already they have profoundly modified strategy by laud and sea. The Old Country i? i realising this truth. Members of the British Parliament ore "worrying" responsible Ministers ami tliey are not being put off by half-hearted excuses about the novelty of air attach,, the impossibility of providing gunnery defence.all over the country, the dilliculLies in obtaining material, and I he com plcxilies of technical progress in a matter which is in a state of transition The enemy, Mir Balfour pleaded in one of his speeches, had a ten years' start, of Great .Britain, and he added f.hi> soothing assurance, that there was un 1 immediate possibility of Britain on tolling them up. . Why huve they had a ten years' start, ! Many of the Ministers have been in office throughout those ten years. Why did they "wait, and see" ? Did they not. know what the Germans were doing, or did they fail to understand it l The position must be faced and the difficulties solved. The brains and hands of the experts are being applied to the solution of the problem confronting the Old Country, The mastery in the air is just as vital to Britain as her rule on the seas.