§ 4. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked whether we have any airship equivalent in size and power to a Zeppelin or any airship capable of travelling at the rate of sixty miles an hour?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, Sir.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSArising out of that effective "No, Sir," will the right hon. Gentleman tell us how fast our airships can go?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, Sir.
§ 5. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked how many aeroplanes belonging to the Navy are capable of a speed of seventy miles per hour; and how many naval pilots can fly over the sea or across country at the speed?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is not in the public interest to give the information asked for in the first part of the question. With regard to the second part, I am happy to say that we have many naval flyers who can fly over the sea or across country at speeds approaching seventy miles per hour and upwards.
§ 8. Mr. EYRES-MONSELLasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he has received any report, official or unofficial, of an unidentified airship passing over the Island of Sheppey during the hours of darkness within the last month?
§ 18. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked whether the airship that passed over Sheerness on the 14th October was an English one?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI caused inquiries to be made and have ascertained that an unknown aircraft was heard over Sheerness about 7 p.m. on the evening of 14th October. Flares were lighted at Eastchurch, but the aircraft did not make a landing. There is nothing in the evidence to indicate the nationality of the aircraft.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes the right hon. Gentleman know where our own airships were on that night?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI know that it was not one of our own airships.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWere the flares lighted in order that our own airship should know where to alight?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThey were lighted in case they might give assistance to aerial travellers in difficulties.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKETo foreign ones?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, I cannot say which it was. I do not know.
§ Mr. CROOKSWas it anything?
§ Mr. EYRES-MONSELLWas not the sound of a motor distinctly heard at the 1244 time, and lights seen, which are not carried by aeroplanes?
§ 9 Mr. EYRES-MONSELLasked the right hon. Gentleman (1) whether he proposes to use aeroplanes with the view of preventing an airship from proceeding to London or elsewhere; (2) what will be the relative position of Great Britain and Germany with regard to fighting airships (rigid) at the end of 1912, 1914, and 1915; and (3) whether it is the policy of the Admiralty to employ non-rigid airships for engaging rigid airships?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed that Germany has the following rigid airships:
There is no doubt that in this branch of aeronautics Germany has won a great preeminence. As to the lighting value of such vessels when compared to aeroplanes, opinions differ and experience is lacking. This also applies to the question of engaging rigid with non-rigid airships. I do not wish to make any statement at present on Admiralty policy, but the whole subject is receiving the attention which its undoubted importance demands.
- 1 naval.
- 1 military.
- 2 passenger.
- 1 experimental.
§ 12. Mr. EYRES-MONSELLasked what is the comparative size, tons, speed, endurance, armament, and wireless equipment of the latest British naval airship and the latest German naval airship; and what time would be required to complete four rigid airships for the British Navy?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is not desirable to publish the details asked for of the latest British airships. It is sufficient to say that they are at present mainly in the experimental stage. The Admiralty has no official information about the dimensions of the latest German naval airship. A rigid airship takes about eighteen months to construct.
§ 19. Colonel WARDEasked whether our dockyards and repairing docks are provided with searchlights and howitzers capable of repelling aerial night attacks?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI see no advantage in discussing such a subject, the importance of which is naturally recognised by the Admiralty.
§ 47. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked whether the Defence Committee has considered the effect upon the defences the 1245 country of the development of aeroplanes and airships; and, if so, whether, in their opinion, we have a sufficient number of aircraft of both descriptions?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the policy recommended by the Committee of Imperial Defence was explained by the Secretary of State for War on the introduction of the Army Estimates. That policy is being carried into effect. The Air Committee, which is a permanent Subcommittee of the Committee of Imperial Defence, of which the Secretary of State for War is Chairman, keeps the question of aerial navigation constantly under review.