ملف ٦٤٩٩/ ١٩٢٠ الجزء ١ "شؤون الكويت: النزاع الحدودي بين الكويت ونجد؛ عدم شعبية الشيخ محلّيًا" [و‎‎٤‎٠] (٢٩٤/٧٣)

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efficient radius of its depot ; but an aeroplane squadron which has
to travel by sea is extremely immobile unless a carrier ship, on
which aircraft can be accommodated in special hangars, is available
for the operation.
An average type of squadron (D.H. 9a), in addition to requiring
accommodation for officers and men, is accompanied by 42 vehicles
of all kinds. Its material requires 383 cases of various sizes, the
12 largest being 27 ft. 6 in. long, each taking 37£ shipping tons and
weighing tons deadweight. The total shipping weight of the
dal in cases is 800 shipping tons. It will be realised that only
ship with the largest hatchways can take aeroplane cases, while
the delicacy of their contents precludes their travelling as deck
load. Further, the dismantling and packing of aircraft is a special
service requiring the employment of experts, if the aeroplanes are
to arrive in good condition ; the work cannot be done in haste, and
the labour involved and expense incurred is considerable. Similar
difficulties, in a minor degree, will be met on the re-erection of the
machines on arrival at their destination, and experience has proved
that in the present (1920) condition of the shipping trade, a new
squadron demanded from England for a theatre like Mesopotamia
will not be in action in less than six months from the date its
despatch is decided on,and the time may even extend to nine months.
The move of a squadron is thus not a matter to be lightly under
taken, and hurried demands are almost impossible to meet. With
the opening up of air routes throughout the world this lack of
mobility will be largely overcome and squadrons will move by air ;
until that time is reached it is necessary to realise that a squadron
is an immobile unit to move by sea and that its transfer, therefore,
by such means will put it out of action for a very considerable
period. Even when it has arrived at its new sphere of action the
anxieties and delays connected with shipping make its maintenance
a matter of very great difficulty, and some degree of inefficiency is
for a long time inevitable.
5. Great as these technical difficulties are, it is still more on the
ground of employment that the Air Staff desires to call attention
to the inadvisability of “ detachments ” of the Air Force. Circum
stances may indeed arise where the value to be got from, say, the
reconnaissance work of a small unit may outweigh the disadvan
tages incurred, but it appears that it is a misconception of the role
of aircraft that is more often the cause of a demand for a small
measure of aerial assistance. There are distinct limitations to the
power of aircraft, and these are worth consideration in some detail.
6. The most frequent abuse of aircraft is in connection with the
infliction of punishment in native countries inhabited by a turbulent
population who are continually disturbing the King’s peace. The
danger of misuse undoubtedly lies in the “facility” of aircraft.
Their power to cover great distance at high speed, their instant
(b 16573)
H & S Ltd,