The facts and figures given by Mr. Macpherson in the
Commons on Tuesday involved considerable revision of his previous statement that we still retained the mastery of the air on the Western front. He now stated that the situation in the air on the British front was undecided, and that there had not been at any time on any side on the Western front a situation which could properly be described as mastery of the air. During the winter months all the belligerents had endeavoured to increase and improve their air service, and with the advent of better weather severe fighting must take place before we could assert our superiority. At the beginning of last year the main German concentration was before Verdun : this year it appeared
to be in front of the British forces. The average air casualties per week for the last six weeks were: killed, 7.6 ; wounded, 8.3 ; and missing, 4.2.
