JELLICOE' SCHEME.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3322, 29 October 1919, Page 3

JELLICOE' SCHEME.

DEFENCE OF PACIFIC. MODIFICATION SUGGESTED, 1 l LONDON, Oct. 26. | Q The opinionis expressed in Govern-I nrent circles tha.-t‘ ‘Lord Jellicoe’s pro- \ posals will necessarily be lengthily con-1 lsidercd, and perhaps substantially I modified in View of the present. ul'g‘ent l 1 del)i_a.ll(,l for national economy, enabling 1 the Empire to regain some-fhing equiva- : ient to its pro-war position. I A well~known admiral is convinced . that there is no possibility of a serious war within the next. decade. 81-il:a.in’.s cominitnients, he says, willprobably neeessi=t‘a.te g'reafel' military than naval expenditure, in providing - for overseas g-arrisons, while it is impossible to liope’-tliat the navy esfiinnteg. will shrink to the pre—wal‘ level unless something in «the nature of world-wide dis»armament is uiidefiaken. lI'T"~J '7-argueld, .nevfem.lxeEess,. &'.t-liar. Lord .Tellieoe’s sehenre was premature. There 1 was no reason for establisliing :21 Far Eastern fleet larger'than the Atlantic, ‘ while the expense attached to siioli a 5 fl'eet would be stupendous, even if the N eapit-:11 ships were niaimained in reserve. K‘ V

'l.‘he Admiral propounds the View thus America is the only Power which so 176 hope to touch 81-itain at sea. Tlreve Is no questionu of -3-ny but the friendliest relations in that quarter, 'rller3’r'o-‘2, what would ‘it mzrtter if America c:lrri'edlout :1 great building pro-g-rannne. Moreover, the Dominions have to consider the heavy cost of their share. r\llsl‘ra‘:ian gunnery expert-s suggest that as Australia's and New Zeal:lnd’.=_ I'l.-quiremen_ts me purely defel~.sive_, it is (loubH’lll whe‘rllel' a. fleet consisting‘ of large and e.osl'l_\' ships is ne(-es;~:a.ly. A si:nplel' and more ef’fe(:’ri\~:3 an(i czu.-z.lpel~ plan of «lefende would be :1 mrmcrons submarine fleet Of modern type with the lligh.est-powered guns. They also 311g‘-gest that the best models of rzrilway guns, whose value was demonstra»’r-ed on the battle field‘: of France, sh0ul(l be utilised. The con» I Strrzction of s’rr:l:l‘egie railways was one of the most important factors in the l defence Australia. _