Criticism of Britain's declining strength in the alr should be silenced by Sir Philip Sassoon's highly satis factory statement in the House of! Commons regarding the Government's plans for increasing both the strength and the efficiency of the Royal Air Force. Sir Philip, introducing _air estimates which constitute the largest for this branch of the forces since the war, briefly mentioned new machines of "performance and capabilities higher than those possessed by other countries, and added that the nation's air force will be increased to 1,500 Grst-line aircraft with an adequate reserve. Under the new R. A. F. expansion scheme additional trained personnel will be made available from men already in service and others recruited from civilian life. In two years, the country's air strength in first-line craft will be doubled—a magnificent tribute to the organization of British aircraft manufacturers.
'As London has already been informed by a distinguished "authority that future hostilities will place the city in a very precarious position owing'
the development of aircraft, Sir Philip's statement should prove very assuring. To the world in gene! the expansion envisaged by the Br tish Government will be acceplod as-a mere logical correction of an impossible situation for it was more than a tragedy that after emerging from the last war as the greatest alr power in the world Britain should find eventually herself relegated to the fourth position.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.