60
THE BRITISH BMPIRE: — UNITED KINGDOM
III. The Royal Air Force.
In May, 1912, the Royal Flying Corps first came into existence. It was then divided into two wings, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps, administered by the Amdiralty and War Office respectively, while a joint Air Committee was formed, consisting of representatives of both services, to secure co-operation. The powers of this body were limited, and it failed to secure its object. A second Committee, formed in February, 1916, was equally unsuccessful. It was followed by an Air Board in May, 1916, and by a second Air Board in January, 1917. Both of these had inadequate powers. On January 2, 1918, an Air Ministry was formed, and the control of the Royal Air Force was vested in an Air Council analogous to the Army Council. The Air Minister was given the status of a Secretary of State and became President of the Council. In April, 1918, the naval and military wings were amalgamated, under the Ministry of the Air, as the Royal Air Force. From April, 1919, to April, 1921, the Secretaryship of State was held by a Minister who also filled another office, and the direct charge of the Air Ministry was placed in the hands of an Under-Secretary of State, who became Vice-President of the Air Council. In April, 1921, a separate Secretary of State for Air was appointed.
The Air Council controls and issues regulations for civil aviation, which is in charge of a separate department of the Air Ministry ; that department is engaged in the organisation of air routes with the necessary landing grounds throughout the Empire. In March, 1921, the establishment of the Royal Air Force was "30, 880, and the estimated gross expenditure for 1921-22 was 19,033,400Z., and' the net expenditure 18,411,000/.
Production and Industry.
I. Agriculture.
General distribution of the surface in 1920 (Woods and Plantations in 1913):—
Divisions
Total surface
(excluding
water)
Woods and
plantations
(1913)
Mountain
and heath
grazing land
Acres 2,732,000 1,430,000 9,134,000 3
35,000 2,000
Permanent pasture
Arable land
England Wales . Scotland Ireland . Isle of Man . Channel Islands
Acres
32,886,000
4,751,000
19,070,000
20,247,000
141,000
44,000
Acres 1,697,000 187,0011 852,000 1 296.000 J 1,400 200
Acres
12,667,000
1,820,000
i,:: : >!i,l>00
9,152,000 <
17.
10,000
Acres
11,181,000
889,000
3,380,000
5,271,0004
72,000
21,000
Total .
76,639,000
3,033,600
13,333,000
21,99.1,000
•J<>,:64,000
1 Area in 1914.
- Corresponding figures uot available.
•' Area In 1917.
- Area in 1918.
Distribution of the cultivated area, and the number of live stock in the United Kingdom : —
