EMPIRE NAVY

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 17, 14 October 1921, Page 9

EMPIRE NAVY

PRIME MINISTER ON DEFENCE , MATTERS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE Further rerefernco was made by the Prime Alinister to the four new "Empire ships” in the course of his address at the New Zealand Club luncheon yesterday. After expressing appreciation of •tho way in which tiio Prime Alinister of Australia (Air. Hughes) had co-operated with him in all matters affecting tho naval defence of the Pacific, Air. Massey wont on to refer to the forthcoming Disarmament Conference at AVashiugton. "I hope," ho said, "that something will como of it, because 1 honestly believe that tho whole world needs at least 50 years’ peace in order to recover from tho horrors and ravages ol the late war.” Britain’s naval supremacy was being challenged by America and Japan, at a time when tho Empire needed the strongest fleet in the world, fl his was a matter of vital concern to Australia and Now Zealand. ’The four new ships which had been recently laid down were Empire ships, and it was clear that the different parts of the Empire must assist Both in the construction and maintenance of these giant engines of 'war. The question of what proportion each Dominion should pay was « matter tor tho Parliament of each country. Tho United Kingdom contained about 85 per cent, of the taxpayers of tho Empire, ana tho remaining 15 per cent, would be divided amongst tho Dominions. A cablegram published on Wednesday had reported some high official of tho Admiralty as saying that the four now hmpho ships would bo British ships, the samo as before. "I stand by what I said,” remarked Air. Afassey. "The British Empire, as an Empire, has never provided limy ships on any previous occasion. That is tho difference. Those four ships will be British Empire ships in every sense of tho word, and every part of the Empire will contribute to paying for them and their maintenance. I believe it is the beginning of a. new era. I am not looking for war. I have had enough to last mo for the rest of my days. That is not the point. AVe have got to build ships in order to protect tho Empire in case of attack from anywhere, and we cannot protect the Empire unless we have ships as good as those of other nations. . Our sailors are tho best in the world, and they have shown it, but they must have tho ships to givo them confidence.” . Mr. Afassey also said that if ;ho three great naval Powers—Britain, America, and Japan—could be induced to have confidence in each other, and' simply ngreo not to build any more warships for the next 25 years, it would do more to ensure the peace of the world than anything that could possibly happen. Japan was a small country with a large population, and it had to find an outlet for its surplus millions. This might load to ivory .serious troublo in the future. Ho did not say it would not, but it had to be rememberM that for 20 years Japan hud been our very loyal ally, and there had not been a single complaint against her on this score. America was our natural (illy—her people largely sprung from the same stock —and ho would be glad to enter into an alliance with America to-morrow, but if the three nations combined it would be so much the better. Aleanwhilo it behoved us to carry on a= hitherto and provide not only sufficient means of protection for - Britain but for’every part of tho Empire and every citizen of tho Empire. He did not believe that the next win- would be fought in the northern hemisphere; and to his mind the need of tho young nations of the Pacific-Now Zealand and Austrnlia-for adequate naval defence was of paramount importance.