NAVAL POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 March 1921, Page 5

NAVAL POLICY.

BRITAIN’S PROGRAMME. 'huge yearly expenditure. COMPETITION IN ARMAMENTS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received March. 18, 5.5 p.m. London, March 17. In the House of Commons, in committee on the Navy Estimates, there was a lively debate regarding the building of capital ships. In view of the United States’ apparent determination to increase its navy,. Sir Edward Carson urged the House not to let the cry of economy interfere with its judgment as to what the navy ought to be. It would be the greatest catastrophe that ever happened to Britain if she decided to content herself with being the second naval power. We were now on the verge of what was safe. Mr. Asquith said he had not the faintest apprehension that the American Navy was directed, or ever could be, against Britain. ‘ Parliament was being asked to spend on the navy, army, and .air force £200,000,000 a year. That was a rather large figure. There never was so favorable an opportunity to bring about a reduction in naval armaments, limiting them to the bare necessities of national security. Mr. Clynes said Britain ought to fortify itself against attack by entering into an arrangement with the United States for a reduction of naval armaments.

Mr. Bellairs viewed the increase of the Japanese Navy as a -grave danger. If necessary the United States and Britain should ration the> supply of steel to Japan.