aratively young men, and therefore the majority of officers can
only be commissioned for short periods. For this reason the experiment
is being made of taking officers direct from civil life on short
engagements, and at the same time endeavouring to ensure, by technical
and general education, that the Royal Air Force shall not become a
blind-alley occupation.

Though it is difficult to foretell on what lines aircraft will develop
for any one purpose, as in the past, the problem of military
co-operation will perhaps be less complex than that of co-operation with
the Navy. It will probably consist of improvements along the lines
already indicated, such as increased range, speed, climb,
man[oe]uvrability, offensive armament, armour, the assistance of tank
and anti-tank action, and the utilization of gas. Fighting will
undoubtedly take place at very high altitudes to keep the enemy's
fighting machines away from the zone of operations--necessitating the
development of the single-seater so as to increase climb and
man[oe]uvrability, and obtain, if possible, a speed of 200 miles an hour
at 30,000 feet. Cavalry, unless retained, as I think they should be, in
the form of mounted machine-gunners, will, I think, disappear in
European warfare, but infantry will remain, and it will be the object of
aircraft to assist their advance by reconnaissance, ground attack,
artillery and tank co-operation, and the destruction of the enemy's
supplies and communications. In this connection ground tactics and air
tactics must develop _pari passu_ and commanders of Corps and Armies
must work out during peace training the fullest schemes for the most
intimate co-operation between air and land forces.

The future of naval co-operation is a difficult problem, more especially
as there was no major naval engagement after Jutland in which aircraft
could be used, and consequently we have little to go on in estimating
their practical value in direct co-operation with the fleet. It is
impossible at present to judge between the conflicting opinions as to
the future of the capital ship, but it is certain that aviation will
materially modify naval tactics and construction. Coast defence,
reconnaissance, anti-submarine work, escort, and the bombing of enemy
bases, will doubtless continue and develop with ever-increasing
machinery and equipment; but torpedo attack by aircraft may reach a
point where the very existence of opposing fleets may be endangered. It