NAVAL SECURITY

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 262, 4 November 1932, Page 7

NAVAL SECURITY

EMPIRE SURVEY. THE DOMINIONS' PART. Britain's Disarmament Example To the World. NAVY LEAGUE DINNER. lUnited r.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, November 3. "In the maintenance of naval strength adequate to ensure national security and in no way aggressive the British Navy is fundamentally defensive," declared Mr. S. M. Bruce, responding for the Dominions at the Navy League annual dinner. The Prince of Wales and many prominent people were present. In Australia's view, proceeded Mr. Bruce, the Empire Governments were discharging their trust in Respect to naval security. Disarmament must seek the point at which harmony exists on the basis of Article VIII. *of the Covenant of the League of Nations between the requirements of disarmament and national security.

He did not regard his presence at the dinnor as paradoxical in view of his mission as Australia's representative on the Disarmament Conference. Indeed, they were inseparably related. It was essential, notwithstanding his affirmation of interdependence of armaments in the Ottawa Conference resolution, that the Empire should recognise that the basis of Imperial ' security was primarily naval. The Empire's economic life, indeed its entire existence, depended on sea-borne trade. These facts and the strength of other navies would determine the extent of the British reduction if they were to maintain national security.

"Many well-meaning but shortsighted advocates of disarmament overlook the fact that the Empire's land and air forces are small, and consequently our disarmament is. mainly naval. If we are to reduce our naval strength to a point that will imperil the security of every part of the Empire we will have to enlarge our land and air forces.

"Britain's naval reductions are an unparalleled example as a contribution towards the objective of the Disarmament Conference, but too little credit is given Britain, whoso reductions have carried naval security across the borderline separating security from national risk.

"I believe that on quantitative and qualitative bases already outlined as being necessary for security under Article VIII., a logical basis exists of harmonising Anglo-American differences ,and of bringing France and Italy within the framework of the London Treaty."