IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1916, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

PROTECTION DEMANDED. AIR MINISTER MAY BE APPOINTED Received Feb. 12, 5.5 p.m London, Feb. 11. There is a growing demand to insure safety against air raids. Meetings of protest against defeneelessness and the lack of warnings have been held in the Midlands, and elsewhere measures have been considered to ensure greater protection. The Daily Mail, in a leading article, contends that it is unfair to 'himself and the country to ask Sir John French to aupervise the air defences of London. An important conference of air officers has been held at the Admiralty, and it it generally believed that the Government is considering the appointment of an Air Minister. It is expected that a Ministerial announcement will be the reply to numerous notices of questions at the reassembling of Parliament. It is also suggested that there should be an air director, whose functions will be limited to the provision of aircraft and the- supervision of actual operations. The names mentioned for the new Ministership are Lord Sydenham, Lord Derby, Lord Curzon, and Lord Sclborne.

REPRISALS URGED. The Daily Mail publishes a number of articles hy experts. Some suggest the construction of a large fleet of aeroplanes, and others recommend that Britain should commence building Zeppelins. Mr.' Grey, editor of The Aeroplane, uigea retaliatory raids, even to Berlin. He says: "There has been considerable development in our aeroplane enegines. At the beginning of the war the machines were able to climb 10,000 feet, when they could only stagger along at forty miles an hour. We still have much to learn from Germany's specialised aeroplane, but with our latest models it is possible to reach Berlin from the sea, provided such raids are properly organised, and carried out by specially designed aeroplanes," Liverpool City Council is considering the insurance of public buildings against j aircraft, to the extent of three million pounds.

POOR BRITAIN' GERMANY'S XEW PROGRAMME. Received Feb. 13, 5.5 p.nt, Amsterdam, Feb. 12. The Munich Xuests Kaehrichten says that this year's Zeppclia fighting will be directed above all against British maritime supremacy. The principal feature of the programme will be the combined playing of Zeppelins and submarnes as trump cards against the most important barrier points of England,