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Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1916, Page 4

UHiD FUKXCH'S NEW COMMAND. , The announcement that Viscount French has taken over the supreme command of the land and air defences of Britain will be received with great satisfaction, fn commenting on the necessity for placing the aerial forces on the same highly organised footing as the naval forces, ive expressed the opinion that the names of the peers from whom an Air Minister might be chosen did not appear likely t<- meet with the confidence of the Empire, and we strongly urged that the service should be placed under the control o; an organiser of proved ability. There should be no need for a Minister; in fact he would be quite out of place. We entirely agree with Lord Sydenham that eo-ordination in the air services under one responsible head has long been imperatively necessary. The controller of this service should have a comparatively free hand, subject, of course, to tlie decision of Cabinet on matters of first importance. Every encouragement .... «iu oe given to designers of practical

improvoments in construction, and no expense should be spared in experimental work. All this and a good deal more comes within the scope of organisation, ami though Lord French may not have much technical Knowledge of aerial craft, he will have the best experts of the country at his disposal. It is pleasing to note that at last the British authorities have been aroused to the urgent need for giving the subject of aerial defence and attack the attention that its vital importance demands. It is somewhat unfortunate that there should be a dual control owing to the naval authorities desiring to retain the command of the coastal defences. Under i, comprehensive scheme (he aerial fleet (apart from the hydroplanes actually attached to the navy) would best fulfil its mission by means of single control, it being arranged that the land and sea operations should, when occasion requires, co-ordinate, and in these days of electric communication unity of'action could be assured in a few seconds. The scheme which Lord French appears to be considering appears to he on the right lines for meeting an emergency, for it is evident that there is a great, need for outposts, control of telephones and road traffic, and n variety of other precautions calculated to give timely warning as well as to checkmate the action of traitors, it is to be hoped that Lord French will have free scope for his organising powers, and that, as far as possible, he will be given a free hand in the adoption of measures to defeat the enemy's murderous attempts on the lives and property of British < if: -.