War Facts Talk

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 869, 13 January 1930, Page 9

War Facts Talk

SURVEY OF CRUISER STRENGTH Admiralty Seeks Agreement DOCTRINE OF PREPAREDNESS THE minimum cruiser needs ol‘ tlie British Empire are {riven by the First Lord of the Admiralty. Mr. A. V. Alexander, who says efforts for peace 'have altered diplomatic circumstances. Mr. Alexander's speech outlined the efforts of the Admiralty to reduce Great Britain’s cruiser strength to within the requirements of an international agreement A critic, Sir Richard Phillimore, says in effect that war facts talk.

British Official Wireless Reed. noon. RUGBY, Sunday. It became known authoritatively in the autumn that the Admiralty had revised its estimate of the Empire’s minimum cruiser needs in the light of various circumstances, notably the Pact of Paris and the improved world political relationships, and that the TO cruisers which were asked for at the Geneva Conference of 1927 had in consequence been reduced to 50. A public statement on th,e subject by a Cabinet Minister was made for the first time last night, by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, in a speech at Sheffield. He pointed out that in the matter o£ a policy of this kind the Government was responsible, and must answer to the nation; but he thought it opportune to explain the Admiralty’s view. An estimate of the defence requirements of the Empire had been summed up in the policy of the successive Governments here and in the Dominions, namely, a one-Power naval standard in the matter of capital ships. This had been very simply expressed in the form of parity with the greatest other naval Power. This was the main achievement of the Washington Conference. In cruisers it was not so simple, and this was the crux of the Geneva Conference of three Powers, which failed to reach an agreement. REDUCTION POSSIBLE One of the most important aims of the London conference would be to reconcile our defence needs in the matter of cruisers with the requirements of an international agreement. After the Washington conference the needs of the British Empire in cruiser strength were fixed by the Board of Admiralty at 70 cruisers. That was the number which, if conditions had remained the same, would be Britain’s requirement today. But today they had to take account of the new situation which had arisen through the signature of the Pact of Paris outlawing war by most of the nations of the world, including all the major naval Powers—not only those who are members of the League of Nations, but also by the --United States of America, who, by its authorship of this pact took its second -great step in a practical solution of the world’s need for assured peace. EARLY CONVERSATIONS DELEGATES ENTERTAINED British Official Wireless Reed. 12.45 p.m. RUGBY, Sunday. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, who during the nexf' ten days will devote himself almost exclusively to the business relating to the Five-Power Naval Conference, will resume his conversations with the Japanese delegates on Monday. He i 3 spending the week-end at his country residence, The Chequers, where to-

day the Japanese delegates were among the guests at luncheon.

The function was primarily of a social nature.

With such powerful support for peace, they felt justified iu looking forward to a period in which armed conflicts need not be expected. The Board of Admiralty, therefore, having regard to all the circumstances of today, and especially the Pact of Taris and improved world political relationships, was prepared to agree to 50 cruisers as the minimum needs of the Empire tip to the next day for a conference and a revision about 1936. NAVY ALWAYS READY

That figure was the lowest that could be fixed to meet even peace conditions. In the present world circumstances, the responsibilities of tbe British Commonwealth, both Imperial and international, including large commitments to the League of Nations. were enSrmous and tbe Navy was required again and again, as illustrated in the recent Palestine disturbance, to take both precautionary and effective action in carrying out the nation’s obligations to keep the peace in some parts of the world, even W'hen the major Powers were at peace. The Admiralty hoped that international peace may be permanent and that a further agreement in 1936 would confirm and extend the present agreement, but if unhappily the international horizon should become ill future clouded it would be open to the Board of Admiralty to review its position and make further proposals to the Government.

The proposed reduction in the number of cruisers to 50 was, of course, dependent upon an agreement at the forthcoming conference on the adequate limitation of projected building programmes being made by the other powers. AGREEMENT PROSPECTS

Our aim was to reduce existing commitments and to stabilise our position by mutual agreement with others, avoiding competitive building and excessive expenditure.

Referring to capital ships,, Mr. Alexander said they would like to achieve an agreement whereby these ships, whose number size and gun calibre were fixed at the Washington Conference might be replaced by capital ships less expensive to build and maintain.

“Britain has assured America of her willingness to concede full and friendly parity in ail categories,” he said, “but regarding cruisers, the difficulty has been to get an agreement as to what should be the proper equation, as to how the total tonnage covered by the party should be allocated, and as to what size of ships should be built inside that tonnage.” It was now hoped that a lasting basis of agreement, not only on the question of parity between Britain and America, but also with regard to the ratios between Britain and other countries, would he reached.

RISKS OF WAR EXPERIENCES OF NAVY SUBMARINE DANGERS Recd_. 10.50 a.m. LONDON, Sunday. "Wars come suddenly,” says Admiral Sir Richard Phillimore, First Naval A.D.C. to the King, in commenting on the cruiser speech of Mr. A. V. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty. He quotes Mr. Lloyd George as saying early in 1914 that he did not see a. cloud on the horizon. Sir Richard Phillimore adds: “Peace produces fantasies; war gives facts. We started war, apart from battleships, battle cruisers and submarines, with 125 cruisers built or building, and 260 destroyers and sloops. We lost 25 cruisers and 101 small craft by the end of the war, when we had 130 cruisers built or building, 558 sloops and destroyers, and 68 armed merchantmen. “Nevertheless submarine attacks confronted us with starvation, which Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman last year promised would not be risked again.” KING’S OPENING SPEECH BROADCAST ARRANGED LONDON, Sunday. The most elaborate arrangements are being made In order that the King's speech at the opening of tne Five Powers Naval Conference on January 21 may be heard practically all over the world, especially in the Dominions. His Majesty will speak into a microphone encased in gold and silver.