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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 0309.PDF
MARCH 18, 1920 AIR ESTIMATES, 1920-21 THE following statement by the Secretary of State for Airrelating to the Air Estimates for the year 1920-21 was issued as a White Paper on March 10 :— " The Estimates now presented to Parliament are thefirst Air Estimates which have been prepared on the basis of providing primarily for the normal expenditure of theyear, but they necessarily include provision for certain terminal charges arising from the War. " For the first time also the Air Estimates will reflect thepolicy of the Government in unifying within the control of one Department of State all the Services related to theAir, which include not only the provision and maintenance of the military and civil branches of aviation, but also theAircraft Supply and Research Departments which have been transferred from the Ministry of Munitions, and the dutiesrelating to the construction and maintenance of airships which have been taken over from the Admiralty. In addition,"the Air Ministry has assumed responsibility for the Meteoro- logical services. " The Votes have been rearranged in three main divisionsto show, as far is possible, the cost of the Royal Air Force, of civil aviation and of experimental and research servicesrespectively. " The gross total of the Estimates is £22,829,619 ; theestimated appropriations-in-aid are £1,772,689, leaving a net total of £21,056,930. "These totals include a gross war liability of £6,876,000,and war credits amounting to £992,500, making a net war charge of £5,883,500. Included in the gross war liabilityare the following main items :— ,. Pay and allowances of surplus officers 140,000 Officers'war gratuities .. .. 225,000,\"~ Reinstatement of building taken under ":/L the Defence of the Realm Act, in-• r eluding compensatory payments .. 140,000 Aircraft supplies delivered under Warcontracts, including compensatory payments .. .. , .. . . 3,500,000 " i Rewards to inventors .. . . .. 600,000 Works services .. .. .. . . 974,000Completion of airships .. .. 984,000 Liquidation of contracts for experi-mental aircraft, etc. .. .. .. 250,000 " The War credits include the following sums :— Rebate on payments for wool .. 140,000; Repayment for aircraft equipment sup-plied to India, etc. .. .. .. 600,000 Repayment in respect of works servicesfor Allied Governments .. .. 112,000 ' - • Sale of airships .. .. ,. .. 140,000 " Excluding War liabilities, the gross total of the Estimates is £15,953,619, the appropriations-in-aid £780,189, and the net total £15,173,430. The distribution of these sums over the Votes is shown in the annexure. " The sum allocated to air services by the Cabinet is £15,166,500, together with the cost of separation allowance.The cost of the latter in 1920-21 is estimated to be £566,000, giving a total provision of £15,732,500. It will be seen thatthe amount required for 1920-21 is well within the sum allocated by the Cabinet, notwithstanding that provisionhas been made in Air Estimates for other services not in contemplation when the Air Ministry proposals were underreview. " Among these services may be mentioned :—" (i) The cost of the Airship Service transferred from the Admiralty (£145,000), including works services (£98,000). " (ii) The additional expense arising from the transferof the Department of Aircraft Production from the Ministry of Munitions. This service includes the Supply, Researchand Inspection Departments and the Royal Aircraft Estab- lishment at Farnborough. " (iii) The cost of the Airship Constructional Establish-ment (£315,000) and of airship experimental services (£67,100). As against this expenditure, however, must beset off an anticipated receipt of £500,000 for the sale of the airship R 38. "A sum of £1,004,282 is provided for civil aviation, and£1,556,540 for experimental and research services to develop programmes which have not yet fully matured. Includedin the former is a sum of £130,701 for meteorology, conse- quent on the transfer of the Meteorological Office to the AirMinistry, and of the amalgamation therewith of the Royal Air Force Meteorological service. " Provision has also been made for medical, sanitary andeducational services, the latter including the college for the training of Royal Air Force cadets at Cranwell and the Boys'Training Centre at Halton. " The Estimates include provision for a squadron withthe necessary repair and replacement facilities which forms part of the Force of Occupation on the Rhine, and is esti-mated to cost £170,000. Although the cost of this squadron is repayable by Germany, no credit to Air Votes is providedfor, as it is contemplated that any ex-enemy repayments will be credited directly to the Exchequer. "WINSTON S. CHURCHILL "March 8, 1920." ANNEXURE. Estimates (1920-21). Vote. Pay, etc., of the Air ForceQuartering, stores (except tech- nical), supplies, animals andtransport Technical and warlike storesWorks, buildings and lands Air Ministry Miscellaneous effective servicesHalf-pay, pensions and other no: effective servicesCivil aviation Experimental and research ser-vices Grossnormal. 4,380,000 2,045,000 2,872,850 2,822,500 878,000 101,000 67,100 943,629 1,843,540 NormalA. in A. £ 70,000 60,000 100,000 37,500 1,000 500 100 49,089 462,000 Netnormal. I4,310,000 1,985,000 2,772,8502,785,000 877,000 IOO, 500 67,000 894,540 I,38i,54O Totals • • 15,953,619 780,189 THE NAVY AND THE AIR INCLUDED in the " Notes on Naval Policy " appended to theFirst Lord of the Admiralty's statement explanatory of the 1920-21 Naval Estimates (issued as a White Paper onMonday), was the following importajit statement regarding the Admiralty attitude towards the Royal Air Force :— " We recognise fully that future naval policy is profoundlyaffected by possible developments in the air. All classes of aircraft employed as adjuncts to naval warfare have alreadyshown the great effect they exercise in naval tactics and reconnaissance and in combined operations. Looking ahead,it is possible to foresee tremendous developments in the air which may revolutionise eventually our present conceptionof sea warfare and sea strategy. But whilst giving the ut- most consideration to the experience already gained, it isvital to this Empire that it should not be carried away by hasty proposals into the belief that air power is already asubstitute for sea power. That day may come, but it is not at present in sight, and in the meantime to give way to thesefalse ideas would be to throw ourselves open to grave peril and to leave ourselves without the means of exercising thatinfluence in world affairs which the Navy, as at present constituted, renders possible. " Nevertheless, our organisation must be such as to enable us to take full advantage of the progress in aerial mattersand to appreciate fully the effect of this progress on the art of naval warfare, and to utilise to the utmost extentthe combined effect of air power and sea power for the " defence of the Empire and the control of our sea communi- Vcations. " The new organisation of the Admiralty Staff under the '.Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff is especially fitted for dealing with this vital matter. Arrangements have been •".made with the Air Ministry for close co-operation between .> vVthe Admiralty Staff and the Air Staff-, and for ensuring that v-*-' the two Staffs are conversant with each other's problems and "requirements. . - - " To remove all misconception it should be stated withemphasis that we in no way contemplate a return to a separate Naval Air Service. It is recognised that the Air Ministrywas created by Parliament as a result of War experience to further the development and maintenanc of air power,and that to separate entirely from the Air inistry that part dealing with the Navy would be to retard pr gress and resultin a weakening both in development of miterial and the training of an air personnel. " At the same time, it is an essential accompaniment of 309 E 2
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