IMPERIAL NAVY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 151, 23 March 1925, Page 9

IMPERIAL NAVY

INCREASED COST THIS YEAR

SINGAPORE PROGRAMME OUTLINED

The Admiralty’s programme in regard to the Singapore base was outlined in the House of Commons, when the Navy Estimats wre introduced. The First Lord of the Admiralty scouted the suggestion that Britain’s action was provocative, and declared that she had, no lust of conquest., or desire for more territory.

Bi Tkcvgrapu.—Press Association. Copyright.

London, March 20. Introducing the Navy Estimates in the House of Commons, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman, First Lord of the Admiralty, explained ■ that the increase of nearly £5,000,000 was due partly to the fact that the Estimates had been excessively cut down by the Labour Government, with the result that leeway Ifad to be made up. All obligations under the Washington Treaty had been carried out ill the advance of the time'limit, but not without difficulty. No large scale manoeuvres beyond the ordinary fleet exercises were being carried out. The tour of the-Special Service Squadron had enabled the Dominions to realise the heavy burden the Mother Country was bearing in regard to the Naw. The programme as regards Singapore was to establish the ex-German floating dock, recently at Portsmouth, in the c.ld Straits. A quarter of a million was earmarked foi expenditure on the base this year. The exact si'zfe of the floating dock for Singapore had not yet . been settled, but it had to be a large enough dock for the largest battleships. Therefore, it was necessary to extend the size, which would cost £300,000. Most of the work of enlargement would be done in Britain before the dock left for Singapore. It would take three years to complete it, and the amount required to be spent on the floating dock, getting it in place, and making the necessary roads, etc., was estimated at £757,000. The full programme, including a graving dock, was still being considered.

The First Lord thanked Australia and New Zealand for endeavouring to bear their share. He said that the fact that those Dominions had diverted the monej' to other purposes when the Labour Gov-

erhment dropped the Singapore proposal did not mean that they had altered their minds respecting the value of the base. . Replying to a question regarding President Coolidge’s proposal for a Disarmament Conference, he said: “We would be only too glad if it were possible and compatible with the security of this country to arrange for anything that would lessen the cost of armaments. Everything we are doing is in accordance with the Washington Agreement, outside of which we do not desire to go.” It was nonsense to say, he continued, that our action was provocative. We had no lust of conquest or desire for more territory. All we wanted was to develop our territories and trade. Mr. R. MacDonald defended the action of the Labour Government in holding up the work at Singapore, on‘ the ground that a period of examination was absolutely necessary, not merely from the viewpoint of national safety but' from that of the taxpayer. The result of that gesture was the Geneva Protocol. He asked what was the objective of the base at Singapore, seeing that America and Japan were both friendly. Experts and theoretical views ought not to dominate the mind. He saw not the slightest reason why there should not be a substantial reduction in the Navy Estimates as was the case last year. He expressed the view that the Government’s decision in relation to Singapore was most deplorable, as it might upset the whole equanimity of the East. The House agreed to the Estimate: without a division, after rejecting ;• motion by Commander Kenworthy (L.) to reduce the personnel of the Navy.—Reuter.