ARMS PROBLEM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 214, 10 August 1937, Page 12

ARMS PROBLEM.

SHELLS AND WARSHIPS. AUCKLAND, Aug 9. “The world of armaments is still traversing the old circle of improved defences against improved penetrating qualities of bombs and shells,” said Major 11. R. Seward, who arrived to-day from Sydney on liis way to Canada and England. There had been a good deal said about Britain’s huge defence and armament bills, he stated, but actually she was making up leeway lost in the last five years. Britain still pinned her faith to the heavily-armoured bat-tle-cruiser, in spite of all that was claimed for aircraft in an offensive, f6r it was axiomatic that, as soon as experts in explosives developed a new and more penetrating type of aerial bomb, experts in the manufacture of protective material for naval vessels developed metal plates through which the bombs could not penetrate. Tliat was the position as it stood, and the point seemed to have been reached when heavy fighting ships were invulnerable to aircraft attacks.

British shipyards and allied industries were seriously affected a few months ago with a shortage of steel due in great measure to the war in Spain, since a great deal of the material used in the manufacture of steel had previously been obtained from that country. There was also a sudden acceleration' in demand for ships of varying types and for explosives. Tlie situation was gradually righting itself, however, tiiough the order books of various companies were so full they could not fulfill another order for some considerable time.