BRITAIN'S NAVY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 72, 24 March 1923, Page 7

BRITAIN'S NAVY.

A TWENTY-YEAR PROGRAMME NO NEW BATTLESHIPS. HIGH SEAS FLEET STRENGTH. (Received I.TO p.m.) LONDON, March 23. The Government has tabled its new Xaval Shipbuilding Bill, covering years, ami making allowance ill Itlture constructions for scientific progress and the development of foreign navies. The high sea fleet will consist of battleships totalling 177.500 tons, and of cruisers, torpedo boats, and destroyers aggregating 360.000 tons, submarines 05,000, nnd 'plane-carriers 00,000. Further bills will determine each year's construction. The Government declares that though it may have the right under the Washington Treaty, it docs not. propose at present to lay down any large battleship. Speaking in London, Colonel L. C. M. S. Amery (First Lord of the Admiralty I said ihat Britain had scrapped war-hips totalling 1,600,000 tons since the Washington Conference, or, with ships in course of construction and auxiliary vessels scrapped. some 2,000,000 tons, including :!."i battleships and battlecruißers, P.T cruisers, 2S;> destroyers, !)•"> torpedo boats and 101 submarines.— (Reuter.)