EMPIRE'S DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 289, 31 August 1920, Page 5

EMPIRE'S DEFENCE

AVY TO-DAY AT MINIMUM STRENGTH WORD OF WARNING FROM ADMIRAL BEATTY By Telegraph-Press isfloclation-OoryrlKht New York, August 28. Tho "New York Sun" prints an article by Admiral Lord Beatty, in which he) says; "It is well to utter a word of warning lest in the (reaction after the great strain of the war we bolievo tihat such dangers as wore successfully surmounted are not likely to recur in thjs near future, or if they recur, will be eiiTmountod in the old fashion. The position of the British Empire to-day is incomparably moro powerful than it was before tihe war. Wo must be prepared not only to defend ourselves from External aggrossion, but also to assist our frien<l3. in less fortunate ■ circumstances.

"For ourselves, the Royal Navy suffices, and hfetory will justify its upkeep on a scale commensurate with tho position of flhe Empire in tho Council of Nations; and to those who advocate a further reduction boyond the present bare minimum, I would repeat the fable of the fox who saw a boar sharpening its teeth after winning a The boat explained, 'I must keep; my tusks sharp.' We cannot afford to'let our tusks be blunt. We aro a menace to nobody. Tho Navy is the policeman of the sea-boards which connect tho Empire abroad with tho heart of tho Empire. The Navy 16-day has in comjnfasinu and resorvo a minimum of fitrength compatible with the safety of the Empire, and there is not a man or woman in the Empire who would re-rinh-B us to reduce our forces below tho standard that' is estimated ilo be safe.

"Our policy ag regards construction has been to investigate all tho problems of war, to co-ordinate them, and to improve our scientific methods and all tMinical'requirements of tha great service, so that when the time comes, as it must, for us to put thesci lessons to a useful purpose, they will bo applied with w'sdoni and,understanding."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.