NAVAL ESTIMATES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 124, 7 March 1930, Page 5

NAVAL ESTIMATES

■iQ»i i ' REDUCTION BY BRITAIN. SEVERAL VESSELS CANCELLED, PERSONNEL BEING REDUCED, (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received 1 This Day, 12.1 pan-) LONDON, March 6. The Naval Estimates total £51,739,OCO, showing a reduction oi £4,126,000 on. those of last year The First- Lord (Mr W. A. Alexander), in a memorandum says this is due to reductions the Government' te-t justified in making. Two 10,000 ton vessels, two submarines, and one depot ship have been cancelled from the LLB Aroeramme, and 12 vessels cancelled from 1929‘programme. comprising two 10,000 tonhers, four destroyers, three submarines, two sloops, and one netlayer. Am additional decision whether the three remaining submarines on the--1929 programme'will be built lias been deferred pending the results of the Naval" Conference. Moreover, the Government will not formulate proposals for future shipbuilding until after the Naval Conference proposals are forwarded. . The Government is reducing tlie personnel to 97,050 officers and men on April -1, 1930, and it expected that a further reduction to 94,000 will be made on April 1, 1931.

THE SINGAPORE BASE. PAYMENTS UNDER THE > CONTRACT. I “ * (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) v LONDON, March 6. The Navy Estimates published today show a considerable reduction. In a statement accompanying the Estimates the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr W. A. Alexander) says that the substantial decrease in the total Estimates is due mainly to the reduction which the Government has fe t justified in making in the ship-building programmes of 1928 and 1929. As to future ship-building, the Government has decided not to formulate anv pi oposals until the results of the Naval Conference are known and fully considered. No provision is included therefore in the Estimates for commencino- any further new construction in 1930? As soon as the Government is in a. position to inform Parliament of its intentions a statement will be made on the subject and, if necessaiy, a Supplementary Estimate will be P Mr Alexander points out that the reductions have been rendered possible only by operating on every branch of the service with the object of curtailing expenditure. Of causes operating in the contrary sense he mentions the Singapore Base main engineering contract. Although no new commitments are being entered into pending the result of the Nayal. Conference, it has been found that it would not be economical to retard the work contracted for and in accordance with the terms of ’the contract considerably . larger payments will have to be made in 1930 than in the current year.—-British Official Wireless.

THE AMERICAN OBJECTIVE. FALSE IMPRESSION CORRECTED. LONDON, Alarch 5. Air H. L. Stimson (chief of the United States delegation), in a statement, said there seemed to be an impression abroad tliat the work of the American delegation was likely to lesult in an increase instead of a decrease in naval tonnage. Such results as appeared within reach provided the surest answer. Tlie plan - seemingly most acceptable 'to the United* States and Britain aimed at a net reduction of tonnage of capital ships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines of over 200,000 tons and an .even larger reduction by the British. If vessels authorised but. not%ommenced were included, the cuts could be much greater, but they were contingent on the other Powers making some reduction.

CONSULTATIVE AGREEMENT. THE OBJECTION BY SENATORS. LONDON, March 5. Revived interest in the Naval Conference largely centres about the agitation in America over the breakdown ot the objection by Senators to the consultative agreement as an addendum to the Kellogg Pact. It is expected that M. Tardieu, over the week-end, will not be slow to press with renewed vigour France’s 'original ■declaration that reduction of her demands is impossible till there is some measure of security in the Mediterranean. . British quarters are silent regarding this aspect, but do not conceal the expectation that the discussions next week will ,be closely related to the new turn of opinion in America toward the much-discussed solution of the impasse regarding tonnage.

FRANCE AND BRITAIN. PREMIERS EXCHANGE GREETINGS. LONDON, March 5. M. Tardieu (Premier of France) has addressed the following telegram tef, Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald: “On reassuming the leadership of the French Government I desire to express to you my cordial good wishes, as also to our colleagues of the American, British, Italian and Japanese delegations, and to assure you of the pleasure I shall feel in again taking part in our joint efforts for the success of the Conference.” Mr MacDonald replied:. “In the name of all our colleagues I send you our warmest greetings and thanks for your telegram. We look forward with pleasure to the renewal of our collaboration with you in the work of the Conference. Before yon crops the Channel I extend to you the hand of friendship.—British Official Wireless.