DEFENCE OF BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18397, 12 May 1923, Page 9

DEFENCE OF BRITAIN.

,'. — ■■ _—♦ » . .: STRENGTH OF AIR FORCE CONSIDERABLE INCREASE. DECISION BY CABINET. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright A. and N.Z. : ' LONDON, May 10. In the House of Lords to-day the Marquis of Salisbury. Lord President of the Council, announced that Cabinet had decided that there must be a considerable increase in the air force. • A fuller statement would be made shortly. Lord Birkenhead raged that the onepower standard should be maintained m connection with aviation. It was stated by the Prime Minister a few months ago that the Government, as the result of an inquiry by the Committee of Imperial Defence, has decided to adopt a scheme submitted by the Air Ministry, providing a force of 500 machines for home defence at an increased cost of £2,000,000 per annum. The sum of £900,000 out of the total, of £2,000,000 would be found by economies in the Estimates of the Air Ministry. In March Britain had 31i squadrons, of which 19£ were oversea in India, Irak, Egypt, Palestine, and the Mediterranean, leaving 12 at home, only 3 of which could be devoted to home defence. Britain has now 32 air squadrons, of which 15 are on Home service. . V The Secretary for Air ; Sir Samuel Hoare, introducing the Air Force Estimates in the House of Commons last month, said there was a general feeling of anxiety about Britain's air strength. I In comparing it with France, which had more fully developed her air power, no one must form the impression that he believed that war was even remotely possible between the two great allies. In 1925 the French would have 2180 service machines, and Britain only 575. If Britain applied a one-Power standard for the air. it would mean an immediate increase of the net estimates of £23,000,000, Britain today had 3071 officers, 27,499 men, and 371 first-line aeroplanes.