d spare parts in large
numbers. During the last four months of 1914, from the end of August to
the end of December, the Royal Flying Corps received twenty-four
machines from home, fitted with French engines, and twenty-six from
France. These last were chiefly Bleriots and Henri Farmans. In October
General Henderson posted Captain James Valentine of the Royal Flying
Corps to Paris, to organize a department for the supply of machines,
engines, spares and stores, and to report on the performances of all new
machines. In December the Admiralty followed suit and posted Lieutenant
Farnol Thurstan to Paris to fulfil similar duties on behalf of the Royal
Naval Air Service. The French Government were courteous and willing, but
a certain amount of bargaining was inevitable, for if we wanted their
aircraft, they wanted our raw material, especially steel, and our Lewis
guns. The arrangements were entrusted to a series of conferences, and
subsequently to a joint commission. In spite of difficulties the supply
went forward. It was not until 1916 that we began to be independent of
the French factories. In the four months August to November 1915 the
total value of the orders which were placed in France for aeroplanes,
engines, spare parts, and other accessories, was not much short of
twelve million francs. It was this help from our Allies that enabled us
to make progress during the first year of the war. By the 31st of May
1915 five hundred and thirty aeroplanes had been taken into the service
and about three hundred had been struck off as lost or worn out. On the
same date orders for two thousand two hundred and sixty aeroplanes were
in progress.

The story of the expansion of the Royal Flying Corps for military uses
is simple and clear, as its main purpose was simple and clear. Its
business was to furnish the army with eyes, to observe all enemy
operations, and especially the operations of enemy artillery. Its later
uses grew out of this, as the branches grow out of the stem of a tree.
From the aerodromes which were ranged all along the British front in
France our machines crossed the lines every day, to give help to the
General Staff, to give help to the gunners and the infantry, to carry
destruction to the enemy. The Flying Corps tried to keep pace with the
growth of the army which needed its help. Its own growth was continuous;
the problems which presented themselves to those who superintended that
growth were problems of supply,