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Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1923, Page 2

Rkim,vis'd to the debate in the House of Commons on May Ist. on the vote for Hie naval base at Singapore. Mr L. 0. M. S. Aniery, First Lord of the Admiral,ty, said: At Washington we made it perfectly clear that we had certain clear, precise, and limited objectives, which included putting an end to the competitive building of now capital ships, and setting up a definite limit to the number and strength of our ships. We accepted the selfdenying ordinance not to establish or further develop within a defined area naval bases which obviously would indicate the possibility of aggression against Japan. It was in accordance with this arrangement that, we had oca sod further to develop H<m“ But Japan was not precluded from developing a. base on its own mainland, or the United States from strengthening her already strong defences on the Panama Canal or en her mainland. In the discussion at Washington it was clearly understood that Singapore was outside the region to which the selfdenying ordinance applied. There was no suggestion of a menace to Japan or that we were e-.iitein) dating the danger of strained relations with Japan or any other (Lent Power. It tliere had been siieli a suggestion we should have pioeeeded in a much more strenuous fashion, ft was irst because we had reduced our naval forces that it- was essential we should have proper provision of base-, and that our forces should be mobile. It was further essential to have our bases within proper range, as that was the only way to make our Navy free to work across the seas: of the world. We were not in a position to-day, and would not he for many years to come, to put a battle fleet into the Pacific cr even so far as Singapore. In all those waters, with their immense strategical consequences, wo wore absolutely helploss and reliant on the goodwill of friendly and lately Allied Powers. No self-respecting Power could afford to he indefinitely dependent on another Power for iis security and very existence. Because they wished the Navy to lie free to fulfil its liistoi ie function in any part of tin* world, the Admiralty had (ome to the conclusion that it was essential to develop, not hastily or aggressively, hilt, steadily and surely, a base without which they could not maintain a Navy in those waters.