IMPERIAL NAVY.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1921, Page 5

IMPERIAL NAVY.

NEW CAPITAL SHIPS, TO REPLACE OLD ONES. ACTION NOT PROVOCATIVE. By Telegraph.—Press Asso —Copyright. London, August. 3. In the House of Commons, Mr. L. C. Amery (Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty) submitted the naval estimates, including provision for four capital ships. Mr. Amery said the latter were not due to a policy of competition or as a challenge, but simply for the replacement of obsolete ships. A few hours’ actual fighting in the late war sufficed to revolutionise ideas as to the necessary type of battleships. Other Powers were not slow to make use of that experience, and there were at present under constructon whole battle fleets of a type incomparably more powerful than any afloat at the battle of Jutland. Japan would have eight completed by 1925, and eight more completed by 1928, while the united States would have 12 of these supreme engines of war, each over 43,900 tons, completed by 1925. The construction of the four ships could not under the circumstances be regarded as provocative; contrariwise the Admiralty might be open to the charge of allowing the Navy to fall below the standard of other Powers. This was a risk only justified by the general financial situation and the desirability of avoiding any step inviting competition in armaments on the eve of a conference whose object was to avoid compel i I ion. (Cheers.) In the matter of design we were not trying to steal a march on other Powers, but only bringing ourselves up-to-date with modern developments. The new ships would be battle-cruisers f the Hood type, but improved in regard to armaments and protection. in the light nf war experience. They would be equipped with 16-inch guns. VALUE OF CAPITAL SHIP. The day of the capital submarine or aeroplane had not yet arrived; therefore the capital ship remained the pivot of naval warfare. The ships would be constructed in private yards, as the Government dockyards were not large enough for vessels the site of the Hood. It was intended, as soon as finances permitted, that the Government dockyards should be brought up-to-date. Continuing his speech, Mr Amery said: “If we fail to construct now we stereotype the present position of inferiority. Britain must declare that she will not accept a position of definite naval inferiority Let us be sure we can rely on our own strength, end never allow our sea-power to fall to a point when we are forced to mace entanrhng agreements to avoid a path which will lead to the greatest disaster, not only to ourselves, but to the whole world.” Mr. 11. H. Asquifh (Liberal leader) referred to the resolution by the imperial Conference deferring commitment as to naval policy until after the result of the Washington Conference. He gravely doubted if it was necessary or wise to commit ourselves to these new ships. He put their cost at £30,000,000, which was a serious commitment at the moment. Mr. Asquith said it would be the worst possible policy to appear to regulate our construction by the United States. He hoped the House would not be induced to enter into wasteful and criminal competition with those with whom we hoped to become permanent allies. We ought only to build ships necessary to provide against risks of interruption of international communication*. DANGER OF INFERIORITY. Mr. G. Lambert (Liberal) contended that the new ships were unnecessary. Mr. Lloyd George was going to Washington a? a dove of peace, but was building after-war dreadnoughts. Sir Donald McLean (deputy Liberal leader) moved to reduce the vote by £lOOO. Mr. Winston Churchill deprecated aggravation of the situation by extreme language It wm an astonishing fact, he e&id, that, excepting H.M.S. Hood, the leading capital units had not been reinforced for mon than seven years, and in the meantime two other navies had revdirtionised their construction according to the lessons learned in the late war. “If we delay another year we shall sink to the level of a third rate Power and may never recover,” he added. “We would exist then as a great Power only on sufferance. Our pow**r to guide events for good would eeofie and we could not extend to the Dominions that protection which we have always been proud to extend. Our hopes for the success of the Washington conference are very sincere, but unless w§ could assume that the ships now building in Japan and America would be scrapped any disarmament decision at Washington would be irrelevant to the decision reached to-night.” The vote was carried.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.