The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-17
Joint AIR DEFENCE
BY ARMY And NAVY
new BRITISH PLAN
scmcn 10 Scout for Raiders,
Soldier Aviators to Do
the Rest.
r,LFOUR DEPLORES
AVIATION NEGLECT

ss,ciai csoie Dsspdfeh to THs SuS.
LoNpoS. Feb. 1e.--Harold J. Tenant.
,.,der Secretary for War. speaking In
.Ms House Of Commons this afternoon.
ia tina, tho navy will continue to
49,, with aircraft attempting to reach
rnsland. but that from to-day OH the
Inv will dea, with aircraft that actu.
NE reach England. A standing Joint
IVA. military committee will be formed
y, coordinate questions Of supply md
Materials for the air service.
ADMIRAL Sir Percy SCOTT, who 4 been
h. charge Of the air defences OF Eng
and. has been transferred to the Wal
Office,
MIR. Tenant. continuing. said that the
az service was experimental and for
ma, reason II was presumption to claim
PERFECTION for II.
-, the outset" he said. ait was in.
ended 10 be a fighting service not a
.ryice for defence. A new problem
has arisen in great dimensions. since Il
Gas no, anticipated that there would be
aids on undefended towns in the heart
Of the country.
Preparing Afr Defesces.
The army is providing aeroplanes to
work with the home defence troops in
protecting the earrisons n vulnera-
bic areas. The navy Is providing air.
craft 10 operate with and Assist the neet
rat rolls have been organised and nying
stations viii be maintained.
'Th. Ministry OF Munitions will Be
-.sponsible for supplying the armament
for aerial defence"
Mr.. Tenant deprecated scare talk"
Fla ,ora,a provisions. he said. have been
made for warning local authorities OF
no approach Of hostile aircraft.
Mr.. Tenant said that complete de-
'e7ce isains, attacks BY long range air
craft by guns or purely defensive air
craft was impossible. Vulnerable points.
b. said. we're being protected In a man.
rer - that the enemy's probable losses
would act ~ a deterrent. The air SER
VICE. ~ said. was growing daily.
Arthur = Ralfour, First Lord Of the
,iniralty. said:
;cns. because the material could not
10 obtained. Every possible resource
u the Allies and Of America Is being
rIlised for the provision Of air ma.
'erial one Of the difficulties WAS tina
.,thiue could be standardized In u con-
sanity developing and ever changing
air service"
Nr. Galfour said that he thought All
r-or had been made when II Govern
ment decided years & not to follow
len,.r ihin air policy. He said ne was
.o-ry that treat Britain had not de.
,cioped 4 r'gid lighter than air machine.
not - much for offensive purposes AS
for .ea scouting."
Urx-s' R~epriaals.
~ DISCUSSION MAJ brought about by
-or.. rf,v-tlvc amendments TO the ad-
a-,ss IN reply 10 the Kings speech from
No 'h-unc. and nv an additional list
n 49, questions to the Ministers. For
We most mart the questions and amend
r'r's related TO matters Of minor i'm
ro-,ar,e.
. IN, natter Of defence against German
~i.pN.l'n aud aeroplsne raids WAS
n-olgN' W nv an amendment offered ny
William I"ynsou-H Kicks. Unionist MEM
YER for Brentford. who said that the
'l'l.alrc"aft gun defenres ri England
"sra entirely inadequate. MFR. JOY
Hicks called upon the Government 10
' rake an attack on Essen. the city Of
ne krupp work., In retaliation for the
'soent air raids on England. and urged
lat British airmsn he sent to attack
re Zeppelin sheds in Germany and Rel.
PUN.
NJ. tovrsou-Iilcks said that the rum.
cry OF IN. cas-, coast dsfences was in
adequate. lie declared h a the anti
tlrcraf' .orps on n east coast At r
''s Ma armed with only ten Maxim
Fms which rad been used In the Rcer
H- Late. . few ] FOUNDER pom,"orns
Hhlrl had beer thrown out OF London
ssus.laS,. hal Neen added.
Although urging aeroplar~ attacks on
Gsrnanv Mr. Ioynsou-Hlcks expressed
d,ub,s Whether Great Britain had the
'ea.ssdrv nigh powered machines. lie
sail that british airmen at the front
zee outrlasscd. and he demanded that
'oTethirg be dome
Lobbyists say that the Government
rsr-ow'v ESCAPED an embarrassing divi-
'ion and probably a defeat in the air
defence debate. The Unionist and LIB.
errl VA committees la practically
srre'I - force a division. but whips
Mranlc ~ fearful OF the result that
NY sought gu, Premier Asquith and
'epr",en'Nd to him that something must
- do'o =, raca,c uNe critics. Tho whips
did mot hroN whom to ummOn TO sup
for' m. Government because they were
'm aware how anybody would vote.
P"iat- lIp saved tho situation by
r''rN'''0E Unexpectedly with a hurried
tdu-sou Va: the Government was In
80 way satisfied with the air service
ard a promise Of further time for dis
rNSson Of the subject.