TOKEN NAVAL DEFENCE IN HOME WATERS

Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1947, Page 5

TOKEN NAVAL DEFENCE IN HOME WATERS

Received Aloudav, 7 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 20. The Home Fleet reduetions mean that Britain no longer has more than a token first line defenee in Home waters, says the Daily Telegraph. The cuts were much more severe than expected, and were received with dismay in naval ports. The paper adds that the immobilisation of the ships must not be eonfused with reducing ships to the reserve. Immobilised ships are manned by maintenance crews so that they may be returned to service at sliort notice but. the shortage of trained men is so ac-ute that an even "spread over" in the ships to be immobilised presents a considerable problem, The Navy, at its peak strength in June, 3944, comprised 80u,000 men and by Alarch it is expected to be a littk' over 140,000 men. Its lowest strength in niodern times was 90,000 in 1933-34. The reduction :n Britain's Home Fleet is stated to be temporary pending the completion of "manning'adjnstments" made necessary by the releases programme, says the Times naval "orrespoiulent. A long term manning programme in due course will provide cho men needed to commission the ships that are- to form the fleet decided on by the Government. The size of that fleet has not been announeed, but statements issued imply that the strength maintained before the present reduction would continue. It remains to be. seen at the end of the transition period of six months, whether the manpower permitted to the Navy will be sufficient to restore the Home -Fleet or squadrons on foreign service to tho strength at which they stood up to now — and that strength is low enough in view of the nation rs commitments.