AERIAL ACTIVITIES

Southland Times, Issue 17656, 14 February 1916, Page 5

AERIAL ACTIVITIES

DEFENCES AGAINST RAIDS. MUCH DISCUSSED AT HOME. APPOINTMENT OP AIR MINISTER URGED. RETALIATION PROPOSED. RAID ON BERLIN FEASIBLE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, February 11. Received Feb. 13th, 5.5 p.m. There is a growing demand to insure security against air raids. Meetings of protest against defencelessness and lack of warnings were held in the Midlands and elsewhere. Measures were considered to ensure greater protection. The Daily Mall, in a leader, contends that it is unfair to himself and to the country to ask Viscount French to supervise the air defences of London. An Important conference on air defences was held at the Admiralty, and it is generally believed that the. Government is considering the appointment of an, air Minister. It is expected that there will be a Ministerial announcement in reply to numerous notices of questions on the reassembling of Parliament. It is also suggested that there should be an air director, whoso functions would be limited to the provision of air craft and the supervision of actual operations. The names mentioned for the new Ministership are Lord Sydenham, Lord Derby, Lord Curzon, and Lord Selborne.

The Daily Mail publishes articles by experts, some of whom suggest the construction of a large fleet of aeroplanes. Others recommend Britain building Zeppelins. The editor of the Aeroplane urges retaliatory raids, even to Berlin. He says there have been considerable developments in our aeroplane engines. At the beginning of the war machines were able to climb 10,000 feet, when they could only stagger along at forty miles an hour. AVe had still much to learn from Germany’s specialised aeroplane, but with our latest models it was possible to reach Berlin from the sea, provided such raids wore properly organised and carried out by specially designed aeroplanes. Lherpool City Council is considering tin- insurance of buildings against air craft In tlic extent of £3,000,000. BABT-KILLERS DECORATED, \ BOXDOX, February 1.1. A Copenhagen message states that the Germans have decorated "for heroic acts" the Zeppelin raiders of the Midlands.