London, Mar. 3.
The net figure of £102,000,000 (excluding loans) in the British Air Estimates represents six times the amount expended before air expansion was started in 1935.
Except for one squadron, all Home defence squadrons were completed last July, so that efforts are now largely concentrated on the overseas expansion of Empire defence, the scope of which is indicated by widespread allocations to new works and buildings.
These works include additional accommodation for the landing ground at Aden, technical accommodation at Babrein and at the landing ground at Jessleton, in North Borneo.
Further sums are provided to con-inno work on landing grounds on the Calcutta-Singapore route and for the construction of a station at, Trincomalee, in Ceylon, ultimately costing £500,000.
Other works include improvements io the aerodrome at Gibraltar, extended accommodation for the Fleet Air Arm at Hongkong, and new stations at Hatsuen and Pathueng in Iraq.
In Malaya, apart from the further extension of Singapore, provision is made for new stations at Kulang and Sungei Patani: Funds have also been provided for the. equipment of a depot at Malta and a station at Luqua.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.