NAVY ESTIMATES

Hokitika Guardian, 14 May 1932, Page 6

NAVY ESTIMATES

FIRST LORD’S' GRAVE WARNING

CUTS TO THE BONE

LONDON, April 30. In presenting the Navy Estimates in the House of Commons the l(irst Lord of the Admirilty (Sir Bolton EyresMonsell) warned the House that the saving of £4,500,000 had been effected only by ‘"‘cuts to the bone.” Sir Austen Chamberlain, supporting the First Lord, said that the Board of Admiralty at this stringent time had looked beyond the needs ol the nation. consequence, Great Britain- [’.was absolutely and proportionately/ weaker at sea than before the war. “To-day,” said the First Lord to- : wards the conclusion of his speech, “I ask the House to remember that the value of our Empire-owned ships and their cargoes is computed at any moment to be of the value of something like £700,000,00. At all times the maintenance of our sea communications in all the seas of the world is absolutely essential to the security of these islands and of the Empire. - “What do we want for this security? We want cruisers—-not big cruisers-, but light cruisers, lightly armed,, not a danger or a menace to anybody at all; only a menace to commerce destroyers.—(cheers.) Although we want small cruisers, we want plenty of them. This is a very small insurance to pay for the security of •our trade. Not only would it be disaster to this country, but I think it would' be a distaster to the world if this country was not able properly to carry out its policy. * “HARD, COLD FACTS.” I “May I say one . word to those, who sav that we should continually indulge in unilateral disarmament? May I say that’the anxiety of some of these people who desire a small navy is only equalled by their extreme bellicosity and laughter.) Last month. Signor Grundi at Geneva, gave some very interesting figures. He told, us that from 925 to 1930- world expenditure on armaments had increased by £120,000,000. During the same period or naval armaments showed a decrease of £8,000,000." “Let me give those people whom T am at the moment addressing some more hard, cold tacts. No capital ships have been laid down for neail.N 10 years. Since the war he had built only II cruisers—in the last four years five, whereas it is absolutely essential that we should have three a year to keep us on a level keel. “We have laid down only two destroyers in nine years to 1927; four submarines in eight years to 1926; while no sloops, gunboats, or mine sweepers were laid down between 1917-26. In this year, 1931-32, we have disposed of 74*000 tons of warships and have ctiOiiiiuJeted 'barely-. 20 ...

BREAD OF THE PEOPLE. “With these facts in mind I think it must he apparent that there can lie no further slowing own of our building I programme. —(Cheers.) A steady r e ~ placement programme must b e unflinchingly pursued. —(Renewed elieeis.) “To what price would the loaf rise in this country if sea-borne wheat and flofir failed to reach our shores?— (‘Hear, hear.’) Whatever figure the price went to, the fact remains that the great majority of our population ucu.d be unable to buy bread. —(‘Hear, Inara.’) *1 ask this country to remember that not only our great- overseas trade, not only our sea communications with the Empire, but that the daily bread <f the British people depends on the British Navy.”—(Loud cheers.) As his first news Sir Bolton E.vresMonsell gave the dock yards at which ,1932 ships will be built and the ships’-' names —Amphion and Ajax for the large cruisers and Arethusa for the smaller vessel.

Britain is as desirous as ever of limiting the size of the lighter six-inch cruisers, but, lacking agreement at Geneva, she will be driven to laying down larger ships.

Nominally on the 1932 Estimates ol '£50,476,300 there is a saving of £L--128.709 but, in fact, by “cuts to the bone,” by building postponement, and all kinds of artifices .£•!,500,000 has been saved.

“1 must warn the House,” said the First Lord with the strongest emphasis “the saving cannot he continued if this country is to have an efficient navy." The House cheered assent. THE HOME FLEET.

Some matters of domestic import followed. By a clearance in the senior ranks, promotion is to he hastened for officers, and modifications are to he introduced in the men’s training, since it thus been observed that specialisation has been encroaching on seamanship. 'Phe First Lord announced, too. a redistribution of ships between the, Mediterranean and the Atlantic Elect —a. force which is about to undergo a change of name. “It lias been decided to change the name of the Atlantic Fleet, as Unit name is not altogether appropriate for ships in home waters,” said the First: Lord. “When in a lew days that fleet rounds llshan( and leaves Ihe Atlantic behind it it "'ill he called for the future the Homo Fleet. I liape the House will wish good luck to the Home Fleet and all who said in if.”