The Supplementary Army Estimates. BY W. E. de B. WHITTAKER. "Everybody concerned dislikes Supplementary Estimatesthe Government because they take up Parliamentary time and give opportunities for criticism; the Chancellor of the Exchequer because he has to find the money long after his. Budget arrangements have been made; the House because it has an uneasy idea that the Estimates originally laid before it did not contain a frank and full provision for the programme of the year." This is the view of one of Colonel Seely's permanent officials at the War Office, Mr. Charles Harris, Assistant Financial Secretary. There is no question of its accuracy of view, as a little study of the minor political history of the past fifty years will show. There are occasions when Supplementary Estimates are justified, when unforeseen expenses have arisen during the financial year. It has happened on many occasions that departmental policy has had to be altered half way through the year and additional expense has been incurred that could not have been foreseen by even the most prescient of Secretaries of State. And as it is "only people who look dull who ever get into the House of Commons and only people who are dull who ever succeed there," it is obvious that one cannot look to such as Colonel Seely for intelligent prophesy six months before the event. But, on the other hand, a plan of action, whatever it may be and whatever its future may hold, has certain obvious expenses which should be provided for in the beginning. Those who initiate the plan may desire to carry it against opposition. by reason of its alleged cheapness and may therefore struggle to exist for a season on insufficient money rather than face the true situation at once and in a manly fashion. This is a species of cowardice which, hardly distinguishable from incompetence, proves a man unfit for the position he holds. It would be better if the Secretary of State confessed in the beginning that he was unaware as to the possible limit of expenditure and warned the House that a further call would be probable. Money was demanded for aeronautics by an influential party in the country, which, unconnected in any way with the prosperity of any industry, had the true interests and safety of the country at heart. A sum was named which in the opinion of those experts whose training and studies have made them best qualified to judge, was sufficient to provide a nucleus aerial force and insufficient to fulfil all requirements. This sum was considerably larger than that set aside by the Government for such purposes during the past year. The First Lord of the Admiralty pointed out the probability of a further request later in the Parliamentary year, but the Secretary of State for War was complacently sure in public that his provision was adequate. Yet in his heart he must have known that unless he deliberately delayed matters more money would be required, and that too before half the year should have passed. And required it has been. The total Vote for military aeronautics last year amounted to £501,000, of which only £190,000 was set aside for the purchase of stores and materials-this including all aeroplanes bought. Out of this money had to come all the material used in experimental work at the Royal Aircraft Factory and such not inconsiderable items as alterations and addition to the small but costly dirigibles which, until recently, were attached to the Army. It is clear now, and was clear then, that there was not sufficient money to pay for the aeroplanes required to equip even the few squadrons already in existence on paper, and that such questions as reserve aeroplanes must be left for better days when war threatened and money was easier to get. And, even out of the inadequate sum asked for, the aeroplanes for school use at Upavon had also to be purchased. It is inconceivable that Colonel Seely did not know this in the beginning. Still the criticism of his own party was delayed and the Opposition was too full of other matters to make much difference to the trend of affairs. A Supplementary Estimate of £216,000, "Vote 9. Armaments, Aviation, and Engineer Stores."-At first sight it would seem as though this money was intended to supply those aeroplanes required already for existing squadrons and that all this sum should be expended in materiel for use in the first line. But no, the old airship squadron is to be replaced by one of aeroplanes, and that, too, consisting of aeroplanes of a particular design capable of exceptional speed. "Those aeroplanes are of special type and designed for a special purpose. They are being constructed at the Royal Aircraft Factory and they will shortly be ready. There will be three flights of them. . . ." Each one of these aeroplanes, though it is not stated officially, will cost the country not less than £1,400. This means that for the twenty-five aeroplanes required for Mr. de Havilland, of the Inspections Department of Military Aeronautics, leaving the new sheds at Netheravon. is a general view of Squadron 3's sheds. Below this squadron an expenditure of at least £35,000 will be essential. The creation of the Inspection Department is also a matter of some expense which could reasonably be expected in the early part of last year. But the amount spent on this is negligible when compared to other things. The Royal Aircraft Factory, never the most economical of institutions, has not amended its ways as it has acquired age. Each day the staff gets larger and each day its sphere of influence widens. Over 1,000 men are employed at this establishment at the present time and the staff has increased largely also. The staff cost £3,100 per annum at the rate allowed for in March and the wages of the workmen amounted to £40,300. Under present conditions the staff cannot be receiving far short of £5,000 a year, whilst the wages, allowing each man average of £1 10s. a week, must be at least £1,500 a week, or £78,000 a year. Of this sum it is reasonable to assume that a large proportion is to be borne out of the Supplementary Estimate just demanded. Even on this very moderate assumption as to the increase in wages at the R.A.F. there is an additional £38,000 to be paid beyond that originally arranged for in the beginning of the financial year. an The additions to the staff and workmen at the Factory has been made necessary owing to the increased number of machines in course of construction at that place. Thus by usurping the position of the private manufacturers the expense of the R.A.F. to the country is much higher in the end than would be any aeroplane of similar attributes but built by a private firm. When the Factory prepares a price for the War Office the item Establishment Charges is always grossly understated. Thus the price paid does not represent the expenditure incurred, much of which in consequence must be placed at the door of other pieces of construction. It is safe to say that if the R.A.F. spend £1,500 in the design and construction of an aeroplane any private, well-managed firm could do the same work for about £1,200. The R.A.F. has no such charges as advertising and experimentation in the commercial sense. In a private firm the cost of experiments must be met by the profits on the sales of the improved aeroplane. In the R.A.F. the experimental side is paid for separately and does not form any part of the charge on each machine produced for Government use. Colonel Seely spoke in the course of his speech of possessing at the present time 161 aeroplanes, one half of which, according to his now conservative reckoning, are ready to take the air at this moment. Of these, between thirty and forty are attached to the Central Flying School, and are, therefore, not immediately available. Thus, accepting his own words, the country has not more than sixty aeroplanes with which to equip seven squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps. But Colonel Seely does not propose to bring the eight squadrons up to establishment before the end of the coming financial year, and then only with the assistance of the next Estimates. The squadrons will not, even then, be complete, as Colonel Seely does not think there is time to adequately equip the squadrons with "mechanical transport and so on.' It will be found in the end that my estimate of last year that approximately £900,000 would be required to complete the work of organisation during one year by a civilised Power is not too excessive. The supply of mechanical transport for the R.F.C. is almost as expensive a matter as equipping the squadrons with aeroplanes, and it is at least as difficult if proper trouble is taken. It is certainly far too important to be classed in the "and so on" section of a speech. It is possible to admire the slowness with which the entire corps has been organised. It can no doubt be argued that to hasten slowly" is the surest way of attaining efficiency. But war is always a matter of initial speed. He who strikes first has the greatest chance of victory should all other things be right. Had perchance some inconsiderate neighbour of this country declared war we should have been at a very considerable disadvantage. It is never good policy to save money on preliminary organisation. So much time is wasted paring down expenses that nothing is done in the end. There is another mistake into which Colonel Seely appears often to fall. He speaks contemptuously of the difficulties experienced and the mistakes made in France and other countries and takes credit for having avoided the same pitfalls. He should not forget that whatever their faults the foreign flying corps are still ahead of ours in size, and in military aeronautics the number of aeroplanes in use counts for a very great deal. When one thinks of the events which have led up to the presentation of this Supplementary Estimate one cannot retain any real respect for Colonel Seely. Subterfuge and deception have dominated his policy from the beginning. He has not had the courage to face the obvious position nor has he had the candour to admit his mistake (to give it a pleasant name) when his statements were proved to be-shall we say?—in accurate. He has made certain improvements in the R.F.C. and claims certain credit for them, but he forgets that all that he has done to-day ought to have been done six and eight months ago. If a little less time had been wasted on talking of machines that are "two years ahead of any other aeroplane" and more attention had been paid to aeroplanes of the present day, we should not be in such a position of unreadiness and doubt, the aeroplane trade would be prosperous and the supply of machines to the army continuous and secure. It will be interesting to see what developments the Army Estimates hold for us and whether they show a reduced figure or not. The Gist of the Debate on the Supplementary Colonel Seely is to be congratulated on the fact that in introducing the Supplementary Estimate on Wednesday last his speech nowhere departed notably from strict veracity. From internal evidence one assumes that he had on this occasion relied strictly on his military advisers, and not on other officials, his occasional flights of rhetoric being apparently his own doing. The following are the chief points made by him, comments being added in brackets : The airships and their plant transferred to the Navy were valued at £65,000. Orders have been given that No. 1 Squadron, R.F.C. shall consist of aeroplanes which are being constructed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. The military officers of the airships have been given responsible posts in the Naval Wing (R.F.C.) and airships of such character as may be required by the Army will be held at their disposal by the Navy. The Army has the larger task in the heavier-than-air service. [This is more than doubtful.] Fifty-two machines have been struck off as useless since July 30th, when it was stated that the Army possessed 113. new machines have been added, so that the total in possession is now about 160. [Possibly this may be true.] 100 Over 100,000 miles has been flown by the R.F.C. Military High engine power means that engines wear out very rapidly. [Which they do not if they are properly built.] Proposals now put forward will give us an aeroplane service much larger in proportion to our Army than that possessed by any other power. [Yes, but every other Power's army is based on universal service, whereas our standing Army is equivalent to one French army corps.] We are in possession of a military aeronautical service not unworthy of the British Army. [Precisely, but in quantity, though not in quality, the British Army is unworthy of the British Empire.] Seely's speech, and Mr. Joynson Hicks criticised Colonel said he was preaching to the converted. the Navy would want all its own airships. He also criticised the manufacture of aeroplanes at the Royal Aircraft Factory, and said that motor manufacturers would not make engines unless they were assured of adequate orders. He pointed out that out of 113 alleged aeroplanes in July, 28 were monoplanes officially considered unsafe. He pointed out that Squadrons |