THE ROYAL NAVY.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 63, 14 March 1924, Page 5

THE ROYAL NAVY.

THE NEW ESTIMATES. ! IJJfCKSASES AND REDUCTIONS. THE DOMINIONS" NAVIES. (Uy Cahlc.—rress Association.—Copyright.) U'eceived 1 p.m.) LONDON, March 13. The scale of Navy expenditure has been reduced much beiow the 1914-15 standard, and equal to the expenditure o! 11103-4, before the expansion oi the German menace. The personnel of ICU.oOu compares with _l_l,o-J_) in the previous year. A Navy Estimates memorandum states that the geueral strategic position now permits more normal conditions than the retentior of most modern vessels in Home waters which was necessary for many years prior to the war. ]n" the Mediterranean two destroyer flotillas will be replaced by more modern vessels and the fleet in the Mediterranean will be gradually brought up following the Atlantic fleet being correspondingly reduced, by a battleship, two light cruiser squad- ! ions, four destroyer flotillas, from two to live depot ships, aircraft carriers of each, repair slun, submarine flotilla, and submarine depot ship. The naval defence of the Empire must depend ultimately on the active support of nnblic opinion throughout the Empire. The only system of naval defence which can meet general approval is one in which each Dominion possesses its own naval forces. The Admiralty heartily endorses this principle, and will do all :in its power to assist the development of seagoing Dominion navies. It is the Admiralty's policy to consider service in Dominion navies as in every way the same as service in the Royal Navy from the viewpoint of promotion and advancement. — (Renter.)