The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1916. AN AIR MINISTRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2773, 17 May 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1916. AN AIR MINISTRY

■ The announcement that the British Government has decided to create an Air Ministry provides a goou illustration of that driving force of public opinion which has more than once compelled the Asquith Cabinet since the beginning of the war to quicken its steps and to make fuller uso of the resources at its disposal. At first people listened patiently to the assurances of Ministers that the air defences of 'the country were in a satisfactory condition and that all that could be done was being done to cope 'with the Zeppelin raids. But as the visits of these Gorman aircraft became more frequent the public refused to be content with comforting words. Men who had made a .close study, of tho subject severely criticised the lack of energy and power-which characterised the administration of the Air' Service. The-authorities would'not, of course] admit that {heir critics were in the right, but they began to effect improvements here and there, and more serious efforts were made to find a solution of the Zeppelin problem. The necossity of making someone definitely responsible for the condition of our air forces became evident, and the Government was urged to appoint an Air Minister who would be expected to give his undivided attention to this highly important phase of the war. It is now stated, though not on official authority, that tho Cabinet has decided to adopt this course, and that Lorb Cukzon will bo asked to accept tho new portfolio. As Loed Cukzon has earned a reputation for mental alertness," promptness in decision, and.capacity for doing things, good results may be expected from his appointment. Tho dilatorincss and .hesitation of the Government as re- ' gards air defence have, evoked some strong protests from various quarters, and the defeat of the official Ministerial candidate at a recent byelection by Mn. Pesibehton Billing, an aviator himself and an outspoken' critic of the Government's air policy, showed that the public were convinced of the need for stronger measures. . Professor Spencer Wilkin- ■ SON, a recognised authority on military matters, is one of many who have been asking whether the Government has yet realised that there is a war going on in the air—and Professor Wilkinson is certainly not an alarmist.

Professor Wilkinson points out that at present the Zeppelins have command of tho air, for they go where they like, dropping their bombs where they please, .and our airmen cannot stop them. But if our airman can go to Germany and destroy tho Zeppelins in their sheds, and that is tho course advocated by practically all tho experts in aerial warfare, then Britain will no more be troubled by air raids. Some recent happenings in air warfare indicate that the Zeppelins' command of tho air is not quite so complete as_ Professor Wilkinson appears to think. Several of these airships have come to grief of late, and others have had some very narrow escapes. But it would be useless to disguise the fact that means have not yetbeen devised for dealing effectively with Zeppelin raids. The Zeppelin has demonstrated its capacity for playing a more important part in war than most people were at first inclined to believe; but there has lately been a tendency to over-rate its powers. Some very interesting information about Zeppelins is given by a French expert (M. Georges Prade) in an article in the London Referring to some of tho sensational stories which have been told about these aircraft, M. Prade states that alarming inventions (such as Zeppelins 400 yards long, carrying artillery and throwing torpedoes from a height of 5000 yards) have been exploded, not only by what may be called impossibilities of construction, but by experience. He made a thorough examination of tho Zeppelin—one of the latest patterns —brought down atKevigny on February 21. From the information thus acquired, and from conversations with airmen, M. Prade is of opinion that the best plan would be to attack Zeppelin raiders before- they arrive over a city and before they have dropped their projectiles. The reason for this is that they then fly much lower than after they havo completed their task. Zeppelins seem likely to be put to more extontive use in naval warfare. They are in many ways fitted for scout duty over the seas; for spying upon tho movements of British merchantmen and warships. Their discoveries, transmitted by wireless, are likely to prove of special value in connection with raiding expeditions oy fast warships making a surprise dash or harassing our commerce. Ifc is stated that Germany no.w has about 40 Zeppelins, tho greater number of which are destined for patrol work of this sort, acting in conjunction with tho submarines. One' of the questions of greatest interest centres around tho efforts of the Allies in the mattor'of airship construction. What is being attempted—or is anything being attempted—to meet liko

with like? It is generally taken for granted that Germany alone is speediug up in the construction of airships and that tho Allies are concentrating their efforts on aeroplanes of various The Allies possess a number of airships of a lesser size than the modern Zeppelin, but up to the present we have heard very little of their achievements.