OUR AIR SUPREMACY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2780, 26 May 1916, Page 5

OUR AIR SUPREMACY

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF . LORDS THE NEW AIR BOARD By Telegiiph—Press Association-Oopyright . (Rec. May 25, 7.15 p.m.) London, May 2i. Tho. debate on tho air services was continued in the House of Lords. The Earl of Galway said that it was hard to .think that after twenty-one months of war it had become necessary to inquire what the Government's air policy was. "Wo do not yet possess Mr.'. Churchill's promised air lleet." .. Lord Haldane said^"Our weakness in airships, is due to tho Admiralty's failure to accommodate itself to tho now conditions."

Viscount Curzon said that tlie nation had every reason to be proud of its air service. A marvellous achievement had been accomplished since war broke out. Wo were second to none in enterprise, and had no i'ear of comparison with the Germans. "Our men afc Hjb front are showing their ma3tery of the air in their daily combats. Britain is now better defended against air raids, and invaders are becoming more and more chary, though it might lie that they were contemplating something bigger than over." The new Air Board,, he added, would be specially concerned with. the question of npplying science to our air problems. There was much to be done in the coordinating and organising material and tho supply of the machines. The Board would consist of himself, Admirals Tudor and Vaughan Lee. Generals Henderson and Braucker, Major Baird, and Lord Sydenham. - The speaker agreed that a sin»lo Department-under n Minister, with wide powers, was tho beft solution of tho problem, but the present was not an opportune time. There was not sufficient agreement between tho War Office and the Admiralty, and any attempt would mean dislocation and friction, but complete unification would come in time, as conscription had noinn, by general agreement and with the support of tho two services and their Ministers. It would bo tho Board's duty to report theronpon when the time was ripe. In the meantime they would endeavour to prevent rivalry and overlapping in the services, and were already examining questions covering long-range offensives, anti-raid defences, the development of airships and aeroplanes, and a great variety of questions concerning equipment, inventions, training facilities, and national factories. The (lebate lapsed,