AERIAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1923, Page 5

AERIAL DEFENCE.

THE POLICY OF BRITAIN. VALUE TO THE COLONIES. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Received Dec. 24, 11.35 p.m. New York, Dec. 24. The Washington correspondent of the New York Herald interviewed the Duke o® Sutherland (British Under-Secretary for Air), who reiterated hk opinion that Britain was stronger in the an* than any other Power except France. He added that Britain was not competing in air-* craft with France or any other Power. “Our programme,” he said, “is baaed ok the exigencies of Imperial defence. It i» easier and more economical to use aircraft for defence than troops. This is particularly the case in our outlying possessions, in Mesopotamia for exatnP l ®’ “Britain finds that th® most important aerial developments relate to the larger bombing planes, torpedo planes, ana planes transporting troops. We have found the military status of the latter especially great, and expect that more extensive use will be made thereof in the future.” Tine correspondent nd<k that the Duke of Sutherland dlacussed his mission with Messrs. Hughes, Denby and Weeks (members of the Administration).