NAVAL BUILDING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 298, 30 September 1935, Page 5

NAVAL BUILDING

BRITAIN’S 1935 PROGRAMME. CONTRACTS TOTALLING £10,000,000 EMPLOYMENT FOR 00,000 MEN. (United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, September 29. Between now and February the Admiralty will plaoo contracts to the value of £10,000,000 in accordance with the 1935 construction programme, which comprises two cruisers, one flotilla leader, eight destroyers, two submarines, one depot ship, four sloops, and one surveying ship, providing work for 60,000 men. The cruisers and destroyers will be larger and more powerful than their predecessors. SHIPS DECLARED TO BE WORN

OUT. ADMIRAL ADVOCATES A LOAN. LONDON, September 29. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keys, in an article in the “Sunday Times,” emphasises Britain’s naval weaknesses. He says some of her ships are worn out and unfit to meet those of other nations such as Germany, Japan and Italy. Sir Roger says if IJritain had a navy as strong as she had before the war there would be less anxiety throughout the world, and the danger of war would be less. He urges the Government to launch a defence loan to remedy the deficiencies in Imperial defence. BIG BUILDING PLAN DENIED. BRITAIN’S STATEMENT TO AMERICA. WASHINGTON, September 28. Taking cognisance of Press reports that Britain was preparing to invoke the “escalator” clause of the London Naval Treaty, the State Department announced that the United States Ambassador to London (Mr R. W. Bingham) had notified the Government that he had received an official British denial of any such intention. The department added that it was still awaiting official advice from London on the practicability of holding a naval conference in 1936. Meanwhile Mr Roosevelt, on his way to the west coast in a special train, apparently taking note of the reports, said the United States intended to adhere to the Washington and London treaties. Only failure to renew the treaties, or their denunciation, could change American oolicyj and then only in the event of other nations exceeding the limits provided by the treaties. “America’s naval building policy is precisely without change, what it has been during the last two and a half years —to bring the navy to the strength provided by the Washington and London treaties,” he said. “This programme, carried out in accordance with Acts of Congress, will bring the United States navy up to treaty strength by 1942.” It has also been announced that on Wednesday, when the President will sail for San Diego on the cruiser Houston for Washington, via Panama, Admiral Reeves will mobilise the entire fleet of 130 vessels to hold short battle mameuvres for his inspection. It will be the greatest gathering of vessels for such a purpose in the history of the American navy.