Mr. Churchill gave the House on Tuesday an interesting account
of the Royal Air Force, which comprises 2,900 officers, 25,000 men, and some civil assistants. He described its complex organization, which would, he said, become "the great technical university of the nation, with the glamour of the traditions of a gallant service superadded." There were twenty-eight fighting squadrons, all but seven of which were abroad ; three were with the Navy and three in Ireland. Four more would be formed in April. A Territorial Air Force on a small scale was to be started. The Estimates amount to £18,441,000, or £4,581,000 less than last year. Mr. Churchill said that he did not feel justified in asking for more than £1,000,000 for civil aviation, nor could he afford to spend more money on civil. airships. The air route to Paris must, he said, be kept open. He expressed the belief that the Air Force would become in time, if properly handled, a substitute for parts of the Navy and the Army. In the debate which followed General Seely and others objected to Mr. Churchill holding the two Ministries —for the Air and for the Colonies—and urged that more money should be spent on civil aviation. As Mr. Chamberlain says, members are always advocating some new expenditure.
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