London, Mar. 3.
The not figure of -£ 102,000,000 (excluding loans) in the British Air Estimates represents six times the amount expended before alr 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 cope of which is indicated by widespread allocations to new works and Duildings.
These works include additional commodation for the landing ground Aden, technical accommodation at Bahrein and at the landing ground at Jessleton, In North Borneo. army to the extent of £21,149,000, which will be met under the Govern ment's Defence Plan. Otherwise, the Estimates would have totalled 106,500,000, 'A memorandum issued by the Secretary for War, Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha, states that substantial pro-ress has been made as regards the Problem of securing an adequate supply of recruits, but that progress has still to be made.
The strength of regulars is 170,000. compared with 168,900 last year. It not proposed to raise in 1938 the remaining two of the four infantry battalions mentioned in the Government's Defence Plan.
Referring to proposed changes, the memorandum states that two cavalry' regiments will eventually remain horsed, but that the remainder will be mechanized, At the end of 1938, British establishments will consist of twelve mechanized regiments and. three cavalry regiments. In India, the policy of mechanizing cavalry has already been introduced in. the ease of two regiments.—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.