NAVAL ESTIMATES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 131, 15 March 1935, Page 5

NAVAL ESTIMATES

HIGHER IN BRITAIN. NO INCREASE IN VESSELS. INTERNATIONAL LIMITATION. KEEPING RELATIVE STRENGTHS. GREATLY REDUCED COSTS! (United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 14. Introducing the Naval Estimates in the House of Commons, the First Lord of the Admiralty (Sir Bolton EyresMonsell) pointed out that the increase of £3,500,000 in the total did not mean any increase in the size of the Fleet. The number of ships in the British Navy had been already drastically reduced. and in view of the Imperial responsibilities the Government could not agree to further numerical reduction. At the same time it was anxious to join in an international agreement for reduction of sizes within categories. In particular it would like to see the tonnage of battleships. fixed at 25,000, with 12-inch guns, and cruisers restricted to 7000 tons with 6-inch guns. Failing total abolition of submarines, which the Government favoured, it would like to maintain the qualitative limitations of the London Treaty and drastically reduce the maximum permissible submarine tonnage. These proposals for qualitative limitation would be of enormous advantage to the world because they would preserve the relative strength of the different countries at greatly reduced cost. —British Official Wireless.

MR MACDONALD’S STATEMENT. EFFORTS TO PRESERVE PEACE. LONDON, March 13. “Pacifism in Britain was becoming an easygoing state of mind, fervidly embracing a- meaningless formula- of pious aspect instead of something showing rugged realism of objective fact,’ says Mr MacDonald, in his article in the National' Labour organ “Newsletter.” Referring to the White paper, Mr MacDonald says; “For some time I have been most impressed by the supine indifference of numbers of our pacifists to the trend of world armaments and the complacency with which they regard conditions in England. Peace lias become a mother of words and vain moral gestures, merely inviting an aggressor to attack us. Britain -has been without a policy. The Government was united in issuing the White Paper, after many months of most careful consideration. It is essentially a peace document, otherwise I would not -have issued it. I am sure that when the history of recent years is written the White Paper will be classed as one of the greatest efforts in critical times to save peace.”