The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 16, 1913. THE LATEST FAGTOR IN DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1751, 16 May 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 16, 1913. THE LATEST FAGTOR IN DEFENCE.

The movement which has been started ' for the encouragement of aviation in New Zealand is well worthy of public sympathy and support. The meeting held at the Town Hall on Wednesday, at which the desirableness of forming an Air League was affirmed, was a modest beginning out of which, judiciously handled, great things may develop. In view of the important part which aviation is already playing in national defence New Zealand cannot afford to ignore what the outside world is doing; but, on the other hand, it would be folly to launch out into any extravagant and ambitious scheme. There is plenty of useful work for the League to do in stimulating the interest of the people by means of lectures, literature, and by keeping the question steadily before the public in other ways, and it might also lie possible occasionally to arrange for public demonstrations in practical aviation. In the course of time we will, no doubt, have, our own airmen and (lying machines, and a .school for practical instruction will come when the need arises. The .new ..League can, in the meantime, prepare Llie way for the day of bigger things, fa' Circa I linlaiii 1 bis matter is at present, receiving nineh ennsideralii,ll. Il.is now fully recognised (.hat I lie n.-i'.-ni.".' "f aeronautics is going to have n very real bearing op the I, wars of the future, but the greeks

direction of its application is still unsettled. Other countries, however, are going ahead, and it seems now to be realised in Britain that a more active policy is necessary there also. Germany, which is already in advance of us, is being urged to still greater activity, a recent official memorandum urging that the Germany Navy must pro- I ceed "upon a larger scale with the , acquisition and use of airships and aeroplanes and the requisite stations unless it is to bo left behind by other nations." The London Times tells us that the Germany Navy is to be provided with,two squadrons of four airships each, and two airships in reserve! They will be replaced every four years. There will also be a licet, for naval purposes, of fifty aeroplanes. These will be divided into six squadrons of six each in commission and fourteen in reserve. A mother-station for this flying servico is to be ready at Cuxhaven by the end of the present year, and there are to be in addition six "out" stations for the aeroplanes. The personnel of the service will consist of 1542 officers, noncommissioned officers, and men. Meanwhile the Zeppelin airships already constructed can travel 50 miles an hour, can carry a useful weight of fjve tons, have a good armament, and a range of 1200 to 1500 miles; ancl their speed and weight capacity will very soon be considerably increased._ In view of the rapid growth of the German air fleets, it is interesting to know what Britain is doing. According to latest information there are 123 flying officers in the Army, 55 of whom have passed the highest test. There are 101 Army aeroplanes, and it is expected that there will be 50 more by the end of this month.' The Navy has 40 waterplanes and GO pilots, and there are to be 75 of both by July,_ and 100 by the end of /the financial year. Colonel Seely takes _ a very optimistic view of the position, but expert opinion in the country is by no means satisfied. It is stated 1 that while real progress is being made as regards aeroplanes, things are not nearly so satisfactory as far as airships are concerned. In order to allay anxiety Mb. Churchill has stated that when foreign dirigibles become a really potent factor Britain will find means of combating them; but the Times points out that tlie country will not be content until the. Admiralty has some experience of its own with this kind of craft. It also states that "while aeroplanes and anti-airship guns may be'able to deal with intruders of this character (that is Zeppelin airships) by day, they arc almost invulnerable by night, for they cannot be seen at a height ofanore than a thousand feet, and they, can avoid detection by noise if they• work tio windward and then drift towards their objective." These facts are quite sufficient to indicate the difficulty of the new naval and military problems which the aeroplane and the airship have brought to the front. The British Empire has to face the new situation, and tho New Zealand Air League can, for a start, do good work if only by supplying the people in this .part of the world with the latest information on the subject, and forming a healthy public opinion, which will strengthen the hands of those whose duty it is to make the Empire strong against attack from whatever, quarter or in whatever form it may come.