NAVAL SECURITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1922, Page 5

NAVAL SECURITY.

POSITION OF DOMINIONS. LESSONS OF THE WAR. THEIR SHORES EXPOSED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received June 9, 5.5 p.m. London, June 8. The grand council of the Navy League has revised its constitution, which now aims at securing, as the primary object of the national policy, the complete naval protection of British subjects and British commerce the world over; and also to watch the development of the air force with a view to ensuring the proper coordination of the naval and the air forces. It was announced that the league is starting a campaign throughout Britain and the Dominions to raise £lOO,OOO as an endowment fund. Speakers emphasised the importance of the closest co-operation between the British league and the overseas leagues, in order to ensure that the Imperial trade routes are properly guarded. These routes would be menaced if the oversea navies were neglected. Sir James Allen said the people on the other side of f > world knew something about naval anxieties. The Mother Country might have had her food cut off, but Australians and New Zealanders during the early stages of the war never knew whether the avenues of commerce were to be completely closed or whether an attempt would be made to land on their shores. The navy at that time was not strong enough for its work in the Pacific, and Australians and New Zealanders looked forward with terror to another such period.

Sir James Allen added: “The Peace Treaty and the Washington Conference have done a great deal to give us some sort of assurance, but we cannot feel satisfied we have done all we want to do. The league must keep watch and see that the seas are completely protected. The faraway Dominions would then rest assured.” —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.