Sharing Of Frigates Suggested

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 32

Sharing Of Frigates Suggested

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent)

LONDON, May 13.

Britain’s shipping newspaper, the “Journal of Commerce,” suggested yesterday that New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom should operate a fleet of frigates to protect merchant shipping.

The Mercantile Marine Association, which represents British shipmasters, has expressed concern at the decline in strength of the Royal Navy, particularly east of Suez. It has rejected a suggestion that shipmasters should be issued with, revolvers. “Costs are prompting our withdrawal from east of Suez,” the journal said. “But has the Government considered the possibility of building up a fleet, of frigates of modest size which could be jointly owned and operated by the British, Australian and New Zealand Governments, with the British Government, say, paying the costs of con-

struction and the latter Governments paying all operating costs for a given period of years?

“There would be a number of difficulties to overcome, but a sharing arrangement of this sort has obvious financial and political advantages. It would give all three navies a little of the extra strength they will require in parts of the world that will continue to be turbulent for many years to come.” Another suggestion is for the establishment of a floating merchant navy home guard. A limited number of seamen should be trained in the use of weapons and these should be stored under strict security. Such a force, the journal said, could deal with “most acts of piracy” but the only sure way of deterring the more serious acts of political piracy was to maintain a naval presence in the areas where such acts were most likely to occur.