JELLICOE PLAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 May 1943, Page 3

JELLICOE PLAN

FOR LARGE BATTLE FLEET IN PACIFIC RECALLED BY “DAILY MAIL” WRITER. EXAMINATION OF PAST MISTAKES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 5. “Undeniably, we have lost large portions of the Empire because of lack of power to retain them, but that power could have been ours if we had been wiser in the past,” says a writer in the “Daily Mail.” He argues that if the two countries most closely concerned —Australia and New Zealand—had shown more enthusiasm for Lord Jellicoe’s proposal after the last war for the creation of a large battle fleet based on Singapore, it might have been accepted by Britain. “This does not excuse Britain’s own neglect because the responsibility was primarily guns,” he said, “but it is pertinent to ask if Australia, who today is making more noise than all the other United Nations put together, remembers how Lord Jellicoe’s suggestion was turned down? Does Australia also remember when it was decided to build the Singapore base (without a fleet and air force which would have saved it) she gave nothing to the cost, whereas New Zealand gave £1,000,000. These questions are not asked reproachfully, but only by examining of past mistakes can we plan better for the future.”