Freedom of the Seas

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 270, 4 February 1928, Page 9

Freedom of the Seas

AMERICAN CLAIM ADVANCED Hypothetical War With Britain By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Received 10.30 a.m. WASHINGTON; Friday. BRITAIN must realise that another great industrial nation has arisen on the horizon—a nation which is entitled to the freedom of the seas.” This observation was made by Admiral H. P. Jones before the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives in reply to a hypothetical question concerning an AngloAmerican war, and British naval needs.

/CONTINUING his statement before the committee, Admiral Jones said that he had gained the impression at Geneva that some signatories to the Washington naval limitation treaty were planning action in 1934 to terminate the treaty by 1936. He declined to name the nations.

In answer to representative F. A. Britten’s question whether France and Italy would denounce the treaty, which allows signatories to terminate it by giving proper notice, Admiral Jones made the statement quoted. In the event of a war, Admiral Jones continued, Britain would get her food supplies from Baltic and Mediterranean countries. He exhibited a map of British bases to illustrate his remarks. “You can see how easily six-inch guns can protect these lines and cut our own lines,” he said. —A. and N.Z. PROGRAMME HELD UP NO ACTION THIS SESSION By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 10.15 a.m. WASHINGTON, Fri. The possibility of action this session by Congress on the 800,000,000 dollar naval programme appears to be fading. Admiral H. P. Jones’s intimations to the Naval Affairs Committee o£ the House of Representatives yesterday of the possibility of further international limitation of naval armaments, and President Coolidge’s speech to the heads of Government departments last Monday, have strengthened the opposition. Moreover, the sceptical point out the impossibility of getting Congressional approval to both the programme and the appropriation. It is stressed that Congress is years behind in its appropriations for measures long since authorised.—A. and N.Z.

FACTOR FOR PEACE MR. BRIDGEMAN’S HOPE British Wireless—Press Assn.—Copyright RUGBY, Thursday. “Let the United States go on with what they think is necessary for themselves, and let us hope that if they build a larger navy it will be as great a factor in the preservation of the peace of the world as the British Navy has been hitherto.”

The first Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman. in a speech in which he dealt with questions relating to the American naval programme, said the United States had a perfect right subject to the Washington Convention, to build whatever it thought necessary for its own defence. The limit in the size of armaments, however, was another question. “We should carry on with what we think is necessary for the defence of our shores and commerce,” said Mr. Bridgeman. In referring to the steps taken toward disarmament, Mr. Bridgeman said that before the war Great Britain had 70*0 warships with a tonnage of 2,695,000. In November last year Britain had 395 ships, with a tonnage of 1,424,000. Britain was prepared to go further when other countries would do the same.—A. and N.Z.

“TOP-HEAVY ARMY” ESTABLISHMENT DENOUNCED By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 10.45 a.m. WASHINGTON, Fri. Congressman R. A. Collins has announced America’s “top-heavy military establishment” as being next to that of France In size. He added that the United States Army totals actually 600,000 on account of the National Guard Reserves.—A. and N.Z.