THE NAVY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1932, Page 8

THE NAVY

INTERESTING ADDRESS,

BY COMMODORE WATSON

CHRIST CHT7RCH, November 5

4t a : luncheon last week tendered to Coanmoduoi'e F. Burges Watson, D.. 0., R.N-, of the New Zealand Division of the Jtoyal Navy, and the officers of his flagship..Diomede, by the Lyttelton Harbour Board, replying to the toast of the British Navy, Com- : •modoie Burges Watson said that he always found it very hard to convey m simple words his gratitude for the exceedingly, kind welcome extended to him wherever he went in New Zealand. That these welcomes were so sincere made his task more difficult. It was a. great help, to him, ip carrying out his duties, to know that he had the goodwill of the. people of the Dominion. For the t.me being he considered himself a New Zealander, ■ he was jealous of the Dominion’s good name, and he would do hie best for ■New Zealand. Just before leaving England, he had seen Lord Jellicoe, wiio had-dedred him to c-onyey his licit greetings and .remembrances to his friends in New Zealand. He had received a long leUter from Re ir-Ad-miral Blake, written from hi- (Ihe speaker’s) old ship, the Nelson, before she left Portsmouth for ■ the Scotti h coast. Admiral Blake wrote: “I see by yo-iir programme that you will be vi-iting Christchurch and I see that you will be there during Cup Week—what; fun. 1 Continuing, Commodore; Burges Watson said that he found himself ftmongat them when they were, forgetting these days of .depression. As they krew, “all work rand vo play makes Jiack a dull boy,” and he was glad of the opportunity tc join them in -their sports. He thanked tlie proposer of the toast for the kindly manner in which he had propped it. “j. reel very strongly,” continued Commodore Burge® Watson, ‘‘about this reduction that has taken place in ‘the sure shield’ of the Navy. There is nothing jingoistic about the Navy; it is an insurance policy; it is not an instrument of oppre sion. In peace it charts the world; it put® down pjracy (which still exists),, and slavery, and gun-running. When actual war comes, iits function is not so much destruction as .protection. We have to keep the' seas clear of our enemies, and make the seas safe for out own merchantmen. In the .Great War it was only 'the use by the Germans of submarine® that 'W.lly caused any sort of sufferinto non-combatants. Our job is to Keep the seas clear, and, if possible, destroy the ships of the enemy, and, if ive cah’t get at them, to bottle-them up. That 1 was done in the. North .Sea, vand brought aLout the end 'Bf the . Great Wiar. The stranglehold we have on tl.i sea is a fhing we cannot surrender to anybody, for the sea is our Only method .of existence. The Homeland supports an enormous population, which depends for its daily bread, on. sea-borne jsupnliijs." ' YOu, in these islands, pradWc© foodstuffs for the Homelnad* and it is necessary for their safe transport that there should be a clear sea lane. So 1 shy that any expenditure on keeping your, very ■ excellent and -fficiont squadron up. to the highest point of .efficiency is not money ill-spent, nor a sign of aggression.”