ROYAL AIR FORCE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20494, 12 March 1932, Page 15

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

...... AN EFFICIENT ARM. extending empire routes. (BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.) ,(Received March 11th, 5.5 p.m.) JtUGBY, March 10. In submitting the Air Estimates in the House of Commons to-day, the Air Minister (Sir Philip Sassoon)'said' the total of £i7,400,(X)U showed a. reduction of £700,000, this being the Air Department's contribution to the, urgent requirements of the financial situation. The saving., had been effected without permanently impairing the high standard of efficiency existing in ttie air services. During his speech, Sir Philip Sassoon stated that the experience gained in making the winning machines and engines for the Schneider Trophy contests had been of real value in the designing of new equipment for the .Air . Force. The Beat Equipment. The result was , that, though when reckoned by size alone, the Air Force", took only tilth place among the air forces of the world, they had the satisfaction of knowing that no other air force was better equipped, while nowhere was the standard of'training and efficiency so high. lie warned the■ House that to maintain such a standard, more money would be required in future years than was -asked for in the -present- Estimates. , . : . Regardi ug civil aviation,, he,said that Britain had'avoided 'giving air transport excessive State assistaiiee, . and had followed the plan of encouraging air transport to fly by itself. Proposals were on foot for bringing into operation another' 12.000 miles of Empire routes, and when that had been done the Empire would possess over 37,000 miles of organised air routes. The map of the world was beitig steadily aud methodically covered hy air routes, which were primarily opened"by the Air Force, and were followedt bv regular civil services. The London-Cape Town mail service was another step in the establishment of a network of Imperial air routes which' would one day link all parts of the Empire. Three Southampton flving-boats were leaving Singapore on March ,15th on a training flight to Port Darwin. Sir Philip Sassoon said the country could not afford to maintain-lIIQO. A .nucleusb'ps lseot to ..watch airship development . throughout v .the world,, and Xo.. con due b a. modest pro-.. gramme'".pf' experiments ..when,, the financial position improved, . T)ie organisation could be set in motion with a minimum of delay. ... He was glad the Schneider Trophy contest was over and that Britain was going to toep the Trophy,'for ,the contest had become too dangerous. The Estimates were carried. .