BRITISH AIR DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22372, 19 March 1936, Page 10

BRITISH AIR DEFENCE

Some interesting information on the progress being made with the enlargement of the Royal Air Force was given in both British Houses of Parliament on Tuesday. Ministers were able to report favourably on the result of the more vigorous policy stated in the White Paper published under Mr. Ramsay MacDonald's signature twelve months ago. At that time Britain was given a rude awakening frorfi her false sense of security in face of heavy rearmament in Europe and by the United States and Japan. The development of air power had made the British Isles more vulnerable than they had been for centuries. Mr. Baldwin, who had been reassuring four months previously, had to admit in March last year that Germany commanded twice the military air power of Britain, besides her superior civil organisation. So Britain set out to double her firstline home defence aircraft within two years, an increase from 750 to 1500 machines. Two weeks ago a further White Paper added another 250 to the total,, exclusive of the further provision of 12 squadrons for service on Imperial air routes. It should be noted, moreover, that the figure for first-line machines does nol include overseas units, nor those of the Navy's air arm, a department whose strength, it has just been decided, will be raised from 190 to 217 machines. No figure has been given of Britain's effective air strength including all these services. Hence accurate comparisons with other countries cannot readily be made. In any case the air power of the nations is so variously stated and must also be considered in relation to so many factors that the layman is left in a state of bewilderment. His best assurance in Britain is that the Government is now thoroughly alive to the winged menace.