The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-06

and military interests against rhe present policy of separate air min istry and a separate air force. The critics declare that in three years the present policy has resulted in .he loss of air supremacy, the lack of a striking force, the moribund state of the aircraft industry, the paralysis Of civil aviation, the neglect and starvation of aeronautical resea -ch. They would split the air service into branches subordinate to the military and naval organizations.
 The parliamentary air. committee recently submitted it's report, urging necessity for building up the air service and for encouraging civil aviation and research.
 Characteristic Statements
 Here are characteristic statements
 Armiral Sir Percy Scott: "The conn try has never before been open to at tack like this. It Is a most serious situation. Our air defense has been neglected in building, developmeat and personnel. In the words of Wis count Curzon, Tt is rotten to the core'"
 Gen. Sir Frederick Skyes, founder of the Royal Flying corps: "Is is by no means clear to me that the results attained in the tests would be tha same had the warships used their guns to beat off the attack. aro satisfied that single airplane would not be match for the concentrated ire or a warship, but a number of airplanes could probably effect their purpose and destroy the ship without difficulty"
 Lord Montagu, member of the war air committee during the war: Eng iand Is no longer an island, and half the Justification of the navy to keen our shores inviolate has now disap- peared. It was not in the past able to stop air raids and wholesale de- struction, and in the future bombing on gigantic scale of London and other vital places. the destruction of our means of communication and the blowing up of the factories engaged In making war material will be the first object of the enemy, while na- vles and armies are mobilizing or re- malning in state of stalemate. In the next war to all these horrors will be added the horror of bombs on huge scale, poisoning by gas, and the subsequent paralysis of much or our civilized life and of the nations resources"
 c. G. Grey, editor of the Aeroplane: "The attacking force will probably consist of three types-fighting, bombing and torpedo machines. The lighting machines will attack the crews or defensive anti-aircraft guns With machine gun fire and possibly small bombs; the bombing machines will drop enormous bombs, say of 1000 pounds. sufficiently near the battleship to blow 1t pretty well out Of the water. and probably break its pack; the torpedo machines will ap- ok an hour and discharge their torpe- does. l cant see that a battleship would be much use under such con ditions. Even if the attacking force lost 100 machines the loss would oe worth while if they sank two super>- dreadnaughts."
 Air Ministry Criticized
 While there is much criticism for the air ministry, there is none for Britains designers. The Sea Lion II, built secretly at Southampton, is to represent Great Britain at Echneid.r cup flying boat race in Naples next month. It Is 25 feet in length .hd 2s feet from wing tip to wing tip. and is said to be the fastest airboat in the world. H. c. Biard Is to fly it.
 And official tests are shortly to be made of a huge cargo- carrying tri- plane, designed to transport war stores or commercial loads by night CT day. It is unique in that 1t Is equipped with a central engine room in which are installed number of separate engines capable of develop ing . total of 1000 horse power. Any one of the engines can be cut out in case of breakdown, the re- mainder of the power plant continu- ing to drive both air screws a, but slightly reduced speed The pilto is accommodated in a roomy "chart house" totally enclosed by glass windows, The engine room is so big that several engineers may work in 1t and there is space in the hold" for several tons of freight. The de- signers claim they have practically eliminated the risk of forced land