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THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 13, 1939
"
NEW PHASE IN THE
WAR IN THE
AIR
London, To-day.
THE AIR MINISTER, in his first statement on the war since October 10, said a new phase in air warfare be- gan on October 16 with the raid on a warship in the Firth of Forth by enemy aircraft.
►
Since that date, Sir Kingsley Wood said, though there had been no great air battles, there had been steadily in- creasing activity.
"We have had to deal with a series of reconnaissances and raids, some by single aircraft and some in force, and we have been able to test out the strength of our de- fences and the efficiency of our organisation.
BRITISH AIR FORCE SUPREMACY
London, To-day.
In a statement in the House yesterday, Sir Kings- ley Wood, the Air Minister, said that to-day we can justi- flably claim the definite superiority of our planes over the German machines.
Our Hurricane and Spitfire fighters have been in contact with Dornier, Junker and Heinkel bombers in turn and there could be no doubt they possessed a decisive superiority.
Even more encouraging was the fact that they had encountered Nazi fighter planes. They had twice the gunfire of the Messerschmidts and better flying characteristics, control and manoeuvrability at high speeds.
Furthermore, we have new and more powerful types which have al- ready taken to the air and will shortly be in operation against the enemy.
Sir Kingsley sald the fighter squadrons, both regular and auxiliary, had taken a heavy toll of such of the enemy as had tried to cross our air defences.
The Coastal Command had tried out attacks on .submarines on 57 occasions, and in 19 cases they were sure substantial damage had been caused. Reuter.
"BRITAIN NOW HAS MOST POWERFUL AIR FORCE IN THE WORLD"
London, To-day.
We have also been able to try out, both in Britain and France, our air- craft in combat with the enemy.
BRITAIN'S TASK
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London, To-day.
Nothing could be more foolish than to under- estimate the task Britain has undertaken, déclared Mr. Anthony Eden, the Dominions Secretary, addressing the Canadian Club luncheon in London yesterday.
Mr. Eden added: "I don't believe that at any time in history have we had more serious difficulties to over- come, but if that is true it is no less true that in the unity of the nations of the British Commonwealth is the final guarantee of victory," -- Reuter.
FACTS
CHANNEL
we have been able to diens whom ABOUT THE TUNNEL
The results and conclusions which
draw
from
them, though of necessity provision- al, are certainly encouraging,
We have been able to satisfy our- selves by actual operations that the various elements of our air defences, anti-aircraft guns and seachlights,
NAVAL WAR SCHEME
London, To-day.
Paris, To-day. The Channel Tunnel
fighter squadrons, balloon barrages The increasing complete- scheme has been revived, this for close defence and units of Observer Corps, have been success-
the ness of British naval supre- time in the French Chamber
of Deputies.
fully welded into an efficient and macy is shown in a special adaptable system under the opera-commentary on the war. commander in chief."
tion control and command of one
Total losses on the British side to date are:
UNIFIED CONTROL satisfaction with the results of this The aircraft-carrier Courageous;
Sir Kingsley Wood expressed great The battleship Royal Oak;
system of unified control, and went Two destroyers-Gypsy and Blanche; on to say that this new phase of the and air war "may be drawing to a close and we must be prepared to face soon, perhaps in the Spring, another more strenuous and difficult ter."
One submarine, totalling 55,649 tons.
Auxiliary vessels lost are: and The Rawalpindi and four amall chap-minesweepers, amounting to 18,396
tona gross.
pro-
are
as
The Minister of Public Works des- cribed the construction of the tunnel an international necessity which should be one of the first works un- dertaken when the war is over.
The Idea first came up about the middle of the last century, and even to-day abandoned pre- liminary tunnels may be seen on olther side of the Channel.
The Minister also announced that the Government has decided to take in hand the construction of the first section of a trans-Sahara tunnel.
Reuter.
Sir Kingsley Wood said patrol These are amply compensated by the duties were more far-reaching than enormous naval construction either attacking submarines or de-gramme which has been further in- fending against air attack. Many creased since the outbreak-nearly one ships owed their safety to units of million tons of warships are under this Command.
construction, and many vessels HELIGOLAND RAID
that the German Navy has been nearly completed. Turning to the Bomber Command, The anti-submarine forces have al- tion of the Austrian Danube Flotilla.
strongly reinforced by the incorpora- Sir Kingsley Wood spoke of the re-ready been more than trebled. cent raid on Heligoland, which he described as a particularly difficult and dangerous operation.
Not only did our aircraft suc- cessfully reach the objectives and acore direct hits with heavy bombs but all returned safely, having been attacked by 20 Mes. serschmidts, two of which press- ed the attack being brought down In reconnaissance flights the R.A.F. had visited Hamburg, Bremen, the Ruhr, Berlin, Munich and Nurnburg, in many cases more than once.
R.A.F. prestige was very high and
it was no surprise that nearly a third Mr. Leslie Burgin, Minister of of the men registering for service ex- Supply, speaking during a visit to a pressed a preference for the air force. munitions works yesterday, said at The Minister referred to the Em- no time had the might of the Bri-pire personnel and units which would tish Empire been greater, or its fight- | soon be taking their place in
the ing forces better and more adequate-front line of air defence, and announc- ly equipped.
ed the re-establishment of police From September 3 to December 5 squadrons which, under their own the Ministry of Supply had placed officers, would be attached to the new orders amounting to £208,000,- | R.A.F. 000.
Britain now had the most power- ful air force in the world, Mr. Bur- gin added.-Reuter.
SECRECY OF
TO-DAY'S DEBATE
NEW TYPES
Turning to production, Sir Kingsley Wood said that though the numeri- cal output was more than twice that of a year ago, the types in efficiency. as war weapons represent "not а twofold but a manifold accretion of strength," and new and more power- ful types would shortly operate against the enemy.
In reply to a question the Minister said he had given careful considera- tion to the question of German flights over the Shetlands and Orkneys, and he hoped "next time we had a visit very favourable results would ensue."
LONDON, TO-DAY. THE SECRET SESSION OF THE COMMONS WHICH IS TO BE HELD The Minister concluded: "We can STO-DAY RAISED A POINT OF PAR- be confident that our air defence
·LIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE WHEN system is sound. The strength. of THE LIBERAL MEMBER, MR. DIN- the defensive and offensive is grow-. "GLE 'FOOT, ASKED THE SPEAKER ing steadily, so every day we are WHETHER IT WAS A FACT THAT in a better position to establish as- -ANY- -MEMBER WHO REPEATED cendency in the air."-British Wire-
OUTSIDE, EVEN IN PRIVATE CON- | less. VERSATION, ANYTHING SAID IN
THE HOUSE DURING THE BE- a gross 'breach of privilege rendering CRET SESSION WOULD BE GUILTY himself liable to such penalties na are OF A BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. within the power of the House to in- In reply, citing authorities, the filet by reprimand, commitment to -Speaker said a member who so acted prison, or, in an extreme case, expul- would be wilfully disobeying an order sion. from the House; -- British of the house and thareby
itting | Wireless.
GERMAN BOAST!
The Germans have no better topic for boasting about than the addition of river patrol vessels and a few mo- tor launches designed solely for river
German, anxiety as a result of these facts is indicated by the recent boast | work.-Reuter.
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