If we match this loss against the enemy's probable output,
we may assume that by taking a day off now and then, as he did last Saturday, he can at least maintain the strength of his air-fleet ; but we, whose losses are greatly less, and whose output is far from its peak, must meanwhile grow in strength. It would seem to follow that, unless the enemy believes he can by this means do us irreparable damage on the ground, raids on their present scale cannot pay him, and that, if they are not quickly brought to the climax of invasion, one of two things must happen: either the numbers of raiders thrown in at any one time must be vastly multiplied in the hope of bearing down the R.A.F. by sheer weight of numbers, and disregard of casualties, or the enemy must revert to his earlier objective— namely, convoys. In any case, each day that passes gives added reason to think that the clockwork smoothness of his plans has been thrown out, and that, in certain important respects, he Is now behind schedule.
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