Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-10
22 AlRPLANEs IN RAID
 ON LONDON SATURDAY
Lloyd George States That Three Of
 the Raiders Were Destroyed.

London, July 9-Twenty-tuo air planes of the Gotha bombing type took Dart in the raid on London last Sat urday. Premier Lloyd George an nounced at the secret session of the house of commons this evening. Three of the raiders were destroyed and zIT machines Of protecting squsdrons also were destroyed.
 "The premier opened the proceed ings by giving briefly an account Of the raid. He said tWenty-two air planes of the Gotha bombing type. carrying about 500 pounds Of expl5- s1Ves apiece, came over London. Of the three destroyed, one was by the machines actually protecting London Besides this, one Of the protecting squadrons which the Germans organ ing squadron, six machines were de- stroyed and one damaged.
 The attack had not been made with impunity. He wished 10 point nut that the first fact the house should get into it's mind was that complete protection in the air could never be assured.
 He wished to point out also that our naal bombing airplanes had dropped over seventy tons of szplo- sives on German airdromes in north ern Belgium, whereas. the total amount dropped by the Germans here was only some two tons
 The first consideration before the government was to insure that The army in France was supplied suffI- ciently with airplanes. To photq- graph the enemy's works required air supremacy, without supremacy it was sheer murder to allow troops to ad- vance. Twenty eight fatal casuaItfsa suffered by the civilian population ln the last raid was regrettable. but un- less the troops al the front were sup piled with sufficient airpianes 10 se- cure proper knowledge Of the German trenches and positions to guide ths artillery barraRe their losses might easily be not 2S. but ga GOO
 The country's first duty was 70 pro- tect these men.
 If afrplanes could be provided both at the front and for deseuse azaiusf if not the army must come first and it was very important that the Ger mans should know It."
 The premier said he vas certain that if the people of this country re- alized that all our strength for tre moment must be put into esta dIiF1ir- supremacy in the air they would Ice prepared to take risks.
 We in the last FiE months have increased enormously our capsritr for turning out machine. The govern ment has quickened production and enormously improved type of ma chimes.
 "The governments information war that German capacity production wac inadequate 10 com npete with ffe pro vision Great Britain has made f-D fo this time, however, the increase orfr had been gradual, but production war now going mp by leaps and bounds.
 "The Roernment now hoped soon ta be able to meet not only fhe require nents of the army iu France huf t1 provide sufficient afrplanes to make is impossible for the Germans Co come here without losses which would per suade them it was not worth thnf~ while to come.
 Tt was easy to suggest to poor sufferers that a raid like this was due to the uee1igence and careIessnesa .of the government br.t he- neIfaveT ff those people were told what the sif- nation was they were ca pa hie or r.-a ing to a great appeal"