for the construction of two rigid and six non-rigid airships. In June 1913 orders were accordingly placed for one Parseval in Germany, two Parsevals with Vickers, one Forlanini in Italy and two others of this type with Messrs. Armstrong. A contract for one rigid airship was signed with Messrs. Vickers in March 1914. But on the outbreak of the World War delivery of the airships building in Germany and in Italy became impossible, and the British firms could not complete the airships they had begun. Work ceased on the rigid airship in the early stages of construction, but was resumed during the war, and on comple- tion this airship became known as Naval Airship Rg.
It had been decided at the end of 1913 that the Admiralty should take over all airships and airship equipment from the army. Accordingly, on Jan. i 1914 the naval and military airship sections were amalgamated at Farnborough, and the navy took over control of all airship administration.
The War Period. At the outbreak of the World War the stations on the organized east coast system of aerial patrol were as follows: Eastchurch, Isle of Grain with advanced bases at Westgate and Clacton, Felixstowe, Yarmouth, Immingham, Calshot, Dundee, Cromarty and Fort Grange. There was also the airship station at Kingsnorth. Patrols were organized between the Humber and the Thames estuary, and a cross-Chan- nel seaplane and airship patrol was started between the Isle of Grain and Ostend, a temporary base for seaplanes being estab- lished there. The Channel seaplane patrol was discontinued when the enemy advanced to Ostend. An additional base was established at Skegness, and for a short time, until Aug. 12, the naval machines at Eastchurch were reenforced by machines from No. 4 Squadron R.F.C. The Admiralty acquired as sea- plane-carriers the " Engadine," the " Riveria " and the " Em- press," structural alterations being necessary before the ships could be used for the purpose. The necessity for aircraft to cooperate with the Grand Fleet led to the establishment of a base for seaplanes and aeroplanes at Scapa Flow, a seaplane- carrier, the " Campania," being later commissioned to convey machines with the fleet when it proceeded to sea.
The first Naval Air Service aeroplane unit to proceed overseas was formed at Eastchurch, and went to Ostend on Aug. 27 1914 to cooperate with the naval division at Antwerp. In order to protect the United Kingdom against German airship raids, an aircraft and seaplane base was established at Dunkirk.
In the meantime the organization of the R.N.A.S. at home under- went rapid development, both in the matter of the training of pilots and the construction and design of machines. On Sept. 3 1914, the R.N.A.S. assumed responsibility for the defence of the United Kingdom against hostile aircraft attacks, and a special anti-aircraft section was formed in the Air Department. The coast patrols were continued both by seaplanes and by airships, an additional station for these patrols being opened at Dover.
In 1915 squadrons and wings were formed and sent overseas to Dunkirk and the Dardanelles. A detachment of three seaplanes pro- ceeded to E. Africa and subsequently to Mesopotamia. Towards the end of Feb. 1915 the naval squadron at Dunkirk was relieved by No. i Naval Squadron, which had been forming at Gosport, and proceeded to the Dardanelles as No. 3 Wing. Later the 2nd Wing from Eastchurch also proceeded to the Dardanelles where, moreover, were sent the seaplane-carriers " Ark Royal " and ".Ben-my-chree." In the early part of Sept. 1915 the R.N.A.S. units at Dunkirk and Dover were amalgamated into the 1st Wing under the command of the senior Air Service officer at Dover. During the year a small unit of seaplanes cooperated with the fleet in the operations against the " Konigsberg " on the E. coast of Africa.
Increased activity of enemy submarines led in Feb. 1915 to the building of a small airship known as the S.S. type (Submarine Searcher). Whilst this small airship proved successful within its restricted radius of action, an airship with a longer effective range was found to be necessary and the "Coastal" type was designed. Some 30 of these ships were eventually ordered. This development necessitated the establishment of various airship bases around the coast. In Nov. 1915, a scheme for the establishment of a large cen- tral school exclusively for the R.N.A.S., but similar to the Central Flying School, was proposed, and resulted in the establishment of training stations at Cranwell and Frieston early in 1916. In that year also a school for training both R.N.A.S. and R.F.C. personnel was opened in France. The policy of offensive patrols started by the R.N.A.S. units at Dunkirk during the latter part of 1915 was developed throughout 1916 and they worked in close cooperation with the R.F.C. on the western front.
At the end of Feb. 1916 a squadron of Sopwith ij-strutter ma- chines was formed with the intention of bombing factories in the Essen and Diisseldorf districts, the raids being carried out from Eng- land. Instead of this, however, the squadron was eventually used for long-distance bombing from French territory and was designated the 3rd Wing R.N.A.S. 1 A considerable number of raids were carried out by this wing, which was based near Belfort. During 1916, too, the activities of the R.N.A.S. in the Mediterranean and in E. Africa were increasingly prominent ; and at home additional stations were formed round the coast, mainly for anti-submarine and anti- Zeppelin patrol. In the course of the year valuable cooperation was given to the army by squadrons of the R.N.A.S. operating on the French front, in Palestine, at Salonika, and elsewhere. The year 1917 marked the definite realization of the bombing policy already adopted by the R.N.A.S. Handley Pages and Dtfy machines be- gan to be delivered in the spring of 1917, and special bombing squad- rons were organized at Dunkirk. Considerable development took place, too, in the employment by the R.N.A.S. of " lighter-than- air " craft in anti-submarines operations and in escorting convoys.
When the war started, the airships available for the R.N.A.S. were the former army airships, " Beta," " Gamma," " Delta " and " Eta," and the Naval Airships 2, 3 and 4, the total personnel employed in airship work being 23 officers and warrant officers and 171 ratings. During 1915, as already noted, new types of airship, known as "Submarine Searchers" and "Coastals were added; and at the end of 1916 the strength of the naval airship service had risen to 192 officers and 1,540 ratings.
During 1917 standard designs for the different classes of airships were adopted. The " Submarine Searcher " had evolved into a type called the S.S. Zero, and an improved " Coastal " (designated C- Star) was adopted. New ships of the rigid type were also being built, two of which (R27 and R2g) were completed in the spring of 1918. The next ships to be completed were the RSI, constructed mainly of wood after the Schiitte-Lanz design, and a sister ship, the R32, followed by R33 and Rty At the time of the Armistice there were five rigid and 98 non-rigid airships of different classes in commission. The personnel totalled 580 officers and 6,580 ratings.
III. ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM. As already indicated, the British army and navy, at the opening of the World War, had separate administrative organizations for their air services. It was not till the creation of the Air Ministry in 1917-8 that the two were amalgamated. At the War Office, before that, the director- ate of military aeronautics was divided into its own technical branches; and its organization developed under further technical subdivisions, as the duties to be dealt with increased in com- plexity and volume. Similarly, the organization of the Admiralty Air Department was subdivided in administrative sections.
It was inevitable that, even with the best will in the world, the two departments would enter into competition with one another for personnel and material ; and as the war progressed this question became acute. Early in Feb. 1916, the Prime Minister appointed a " Joint War Air Committee," to coordinate, design and supply material for the naval and military Air Services. In addition to the chairman, Lord Derby, the committee included representatives of the War Office and the Admiralty, with Lord Montagu of Beaulieu as independent advisory member. This committee was authorized to refer any question disputed between the Admiralty and the War Office to the Government. After two months, however, this committee collapsed, followjng on Lord Montagu's resignation. Since the chairman was not himself a member of the Government he lacked the necessary authority to arbitrate between two great de- partments of State, each of which had its own organization, esprit de corps and aspirations; moreover, no clearly defined division of functions was adopted between the War Office and the Admiralty.
The next attempt at reorganization was the formation of the first Air Board in May 1916, with Lord Curzon as president, the other members being Lord Sydenham, Rear-Adml. Tudor, Rear- Adml. Vaughan Lee, Lt.-Gen. Sir David Henderson, Brig. -Gen. Brancker, and Maj. J. L. Baird, M.P. It was to be free to discuss policy and make recommendations to the War Office and Admiralty, but had no authority with regard to policy. It could, however, recommend types of machines for the army and navy Air Services. If either the War Office or the Admiralty declined to follow the Board's advice, the Board were empowered to refer the matter to the War Committee of the Cabinet. It was further charged with the organization and coordination of supply and material, and with the prevention of competition between the two fighting departments. It was provided that the Board should discuss air problems with representatives of the army and navy and such bodies as the Naval Board of Inventions and Research, the Inventions Branch of the Ministry of Munitions, the Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, National Physical Laboratory, etc. It was laid down also that the Board should be provided with a secretariat.
1 The original 3rd Wing had been disbanded on the withdrawal of the Dardanelles expedition.
