NAVAL RIVALRY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1929, Page 5

NAVAL RIVALRY

U.S.A. CRUISERS. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, February 4. The United States Senate, by a vote of 54 to 28, has refused to eliminate from the Cruiser Construction Bill the stipulation that the ship shall lie laid down before July Ist, 1931 The passage of the measure, which is one authorising the building of fifteen new cruisers and an aeroplane carrier, at a cost of 274 million dollars, at Tuesday’s session, is now regarded as assured. BRITISH ECONOMY POLICY. LONDON. February 4. The “Daily Chronicle” says:—As the result of a conference by Mr S. Baldwin (Prime Minister), Sir Austen Chamberlain (Foreign Secretary), and Mr Winston Churchill (Chancellor of the Exchequer), with the first Lord of the Admiralty (Rt. Hon. W. S. Bridgeman), and the Sea Lords, a decision was reached to-dnv to postpone indefinitely the construction of two of the cruisers which should have been begun in 1989, as mentioned in a cable on the 28th. on the grounds of economy. The Cabinet has not yet ratified the decision, but it is jiot expected to reverse it. An announcement is unlikely till tTie U.S.A. Cruiser Bill has been passed by the American Senate. The British Government does not want to appear to be using the curtailment to affect the U.S.A. Senate. At the same time, however, it is hoped that the curtailment will help to remove the impression that was created by last year’s Anglo-French naval understanding that Britain is entering on a naval armament race against America. The Admiralty admits that the Washington Conference in 1931 may materially curtail subsequent naval building. Mr Chamberlain thinks that this gesture will produce a favourable atmosphere at the 1931 conference and the possible prior negotiations. DOMINIONS’ NAVAL OUTLAY. •' LONDON, February 5. l'n the House of Commons, replying to a question, Rt. Hon. L. Amery (Secretary of State for the Dominions) said that the Dominions’ expenditure on naval defence tfor the year 1928-29 was estimated as follows:—Canada 2,725,000 dollars, Australia £3.387,000, New Zealand £711,000, including an £125,000 instalment on £1,000,000 towards the Singapore naval base ; South Africa £98,000.