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defenses on the ground by clouds or ground mists.

However, it must be borne in mind that air units are costly and difficult to maintain. It is improbable that any country will have sufficient for all desirable uses. In a major war the principal theater of operations will no doubt have first call upon the great bulk of the aviation.

For this reason the air defense of important harbors presents a special problem. Such defense will have to be provided by the means available after the principal theater has been taken care of. Perhaps the best situation which may be found with respect to aircraft assistance will be one where pursuit and bombardment units of [[?]]H.Q. Aviation will be located sufficiently near to a harbor which is attacked to enable them to come to the assistance of the Harbor Defenses. It is not believed that pursuit and bombardment units will be available for assignment to the duty of defending harbors except in overseas garrisons. 

However, due to the great disadvantage in operating without the assistance of observation aircraft against an enemy possessing aircraft, no important harbor liable to be raided by the enemy should be entirely stripped of aircraft. But too much dependence should not be placed in aircraft. Its limitations should be carefully studied. Aerial observation at night or in heavy weather is not positive. The information obtained is not detailed in character and usually is not susceptible of positive confirmation.

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