AUSTRALIAN SHIPS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13238, 14 January 1941, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SHIPS.

BIG BUILDING PROGRAMME 50,000 TONS FOR NAVY. Australian shipyards are building, or about to build, ships for the Australian and Royal navies amounting to more than 50,000 tins. Announcing this the other day, the Minister for the Navy (Mr, Hughes) said acceptance of this huge programme had led to the reopening of many shipyards in Australia, and would provide the equipment and trained personnel, to undertake the construction of ships of other types when the naval construction programme was completed. Convoy Problems. Mr Hughes, who was referring to criticism of the failure of the Navy to prevent tbe sinking of ships, said a convoy system for ships entering or leaving Australian waters was impracticable because of the lack of war vessels. If Australian shipping were to be convoyed, a force of cruisers about one quarter the strength of the Royal Navy would be required. Convoying, moreover, would intro duce delays and inconveniences which would more than offset occasional shipping losses. Mr Hughes added that more than 90 per cent of the sea-going strength of the Royal Australian Navy was employed protecting Australian cities and sea-going trade.