BRITAIN'S AIR POWER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17232, 11 April 1930, Page 7

BRITAIN'S AIR POWER

EX-MARSHAL'S CRITICISM IMPORTANCE TO EMPIRE HOUSE OF LORDS DERATE (British Official Wireless.) Roc. in a.m. IUTUm', April 10. Lord Trenchard, former Marshal of the Air Puree, in his maiden speech in the House of Lords, called attention to the importance of an adequate and efficient air force to the British Empire, He referred to a .statement recently made by the Under-Secretary for Air thai to-day France had a firstline strength of LiOO aeroplanes, Italy .1100, America mill, and Croat Britain 770. That meant Britain was fourth among' the powers in air strength. He said this fact required very earnest consideration. We were to-day as dependent for the security of 1 lie Empire upon air power as we were upon the navy.

The ensuing debate was remarkable for the arguments against the Air Force by Herd Realty, for the navy, and Lord Cav.'in, for the army.

Lord Realty declared that the navy would willingly forego its disagreeable work in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea in favor of any better agency, hut asked how aeroplanes could tell

the nationality of a vessel, or show the smuggling of arr.is. It was necessary for a sloop to draw alongside and examine a vessel's papers. Moreover, the weather for nine on! of the 12 months would preclude air boats. Finally, lie asked how could an aeroplane discharge an important function of the navy, namely, the showing of the flag? AIR DISARMAMENT Lord Cavan said the question was essentially one for the Cabinet Committee of' Imperial Defence. The air force was new to the army, bill it depended on other services. He then proceeded to attack indiscriminate air warfare, where, he said, innocent and guilty alike were punished. Why tho matter was never on the agenda at Geneva, to humanitarians was inconceivable.

Lord Thompson, Secretary for Air, said the elements in air power were an air force of sufficient strength to carry out the policy of the country, air communications sufficiently developed, an air transport system nourished and fed by an adequate aircraft industry, and, lastly, a highlydeveloped system of aeronautical research. No means of purely passive defence had been devised for dealing with attack's from the air. He assured Lord Trenchard that the Government was giving its most careful attention to the subject. The Prime .Minister was taking an active part as head of the Committee of Imperial Defence. ' Turning to the question of air disarmament, Lord Thompson .said wo had never claimed a one-power standard in the air. Air disarmament was one of the biggest problems that Jay ahead. If air development went on there was no town in tliis country which was safe from bombing. His own view was that no country could possess air power that was not a progressive and highly-developed country. The countries which could possess air power, were very few, and they fort unalely democratically governed. Without their political co-operation and agreement, there was. however, no prospect of disarmament in the strict sen.se in air matters.