24 NOVEMBER 1917, Page 3

The public announcement that Mr. Lloyd George had repeatedly offered

the Air Ministry to Lord Northcliffe surprised no one more than Lord Cowdray, the President of the Air Board. In a letter to the Prime Minister, published last Saturday, he offered his resignation, and remarked that "it ought not to have been left to me to receive from Lord Northcliffe's letter to the Times the first intimation that you desire a change at the Mr Ministry." Lord Cowdray recalled the fact that since he went to the Air Board in January last he had completely reorganized the Air Forces and increased them threefold, besides arranging the scheme of co-opera- tion which is embodied in the Air Forces Bill.