is the case. There is, it is true, also a certain amount of work which is not published, being considered as of a confidential character. The question arises whether the main body of the work, or, at least, some of the more important sections, should not be held back, and treated as confidential for a certain period, possibly one complete year, in order to give our own designers a twelve months' lead. The difficulties in the way of any such scheme are, firstly, that, to be effective, the first twelve months' output of any new design would require to be met as output from the Government factory; the conditions issued with designs and specifications for tenders, though nominally intended to ensure secrecy, can never be really effective. Secondly, in a branch of Governmental activity as little understood by the public as that of aeronautical construction, the public and Parliament expect to see something for their money, and for those entrusted with aeronautical development to have shrunk from publicity would have been equivalent to committing suicide. In spite of any disadvantage which may have resulted from publicity in the past, the net result has been highly satisfactory. It is more than probable, however, that the Continental Powers have somewhat underrated the importance of the work which had been done in this country, and have taken no particular pains to follow or study that work; this neglect is not likely to be repeated. Certain it is that, technically, the Continental nations are, without being aware of the fact, some way behind us in aeroplane design. The author is disposed to think that, all things considered, it will be found advisable in the future to restrict publication somewhat, and considerably to strengthen the Aircraft Factory, to enable full control to be exercised over new models, and otherwise to take steps to ensure secrecy where, in the national interest, it may be deemed wise.
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