SEA COMMUNICATIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 23, 22 October 1920, Page 6

SEA COMMUNICATIONS

THEIR VALUE TO THE EMPIRE SPEECH BY LORD JELLICOE NEED FOR STRONG MERCANTILE MARINE The importance of preserving the sea communications of the Empire, and maintaining 'a strong mercantile marine was emphasised by Lord Jellicoe in the course of his tpeecli at the Trafalgar Day celebrations in the Town Hull last night. , • "I suppose that 011 this Trafalgar Day, being a sailor, I am expected to say something about the Navy,". he said, "but I cannot forget that, besides being a sailor, I hold an official position in New Zealand which prevents me from opening my heart about naval matters as I was able to do twelve months ago in this hall. But, there is no harm in one saying that the first and principal duty of the Navy is to keep control of the communications of tho British Empire. Without the safety of these communications the British Empire must soon cease to exist. In New Zealand, if your communications by sea are cut, or are endangered, you cannot send youi produce to tho markets of the world, and before long disaster would overtake this Dominion financially. It is, there fore, of the very first importance to New Zealand that the sea communications ol the Empire should bo safe. You may recollect, I dare say, in the early days of the war, how. the threat of Admir;-.! von Spee's squadron being abroad in the j Pacific led to the temporary recall oi the first contingent of that splendid force —the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.. That was ail.instance of what danger to sea communications meant to the British Empire. It was the very threat (as it happened, Von S>?ee was many hundreds of miles aivay) of his endangering the sea communications that led to the recall of that Expeditionary Force. And, again, I would like to. mention, and draw your attention t« the fket, that the safety sea communications is not more important than the use of those communications bv the mercantile ine. The mercantile marine of the British Empire is iust as important to the welfare of the British Empire as is the British Navy-(applause)-and unless wc lce»p tho British mrc.,ntile marine at a satisfactory strength, we are .unable to use these communications which the Navy is endeavouring to safeguard. At the present time we. are two million ions short in mercantile marine to'wlmi we were before the war, and you know quite well in New Zealand what that means to you. It has meant difficulty 111 eettiii" away your frozen meat, it has meant difficulty in setting yourselves avay to the Mother Country-those of von who have wanted to go-and, therefore, it is just as important that, the mercantile marine should be maintained at. a maximum strength as it is important that the "Navv "should be so maintained. (Applause.) ■ >