NEW DESTROYERS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 150, 21 March 1933, Page 7

NEW DESTROYERS

Ships for Australian Navy TRANSFER FROM BRITAIN Negotiations have been opened with the British Government for the replacement of the destroyers of the Australian naval squadron — the Swordsman, Tattaa, Tasmania, and Success—by four destroyers of the latest type. This announcement was made recently by the Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons. He said finality would probably be reached in a few days. Arrangements have already been made for the replacement of of the flotilla leader, Anzac, which is a larger vessel, by the fast British destroyer Mackay, which will shortly come to Australian waters. Although technically on loan, these ships will virtually be a gift to the Australian Navy from Britain. Their value is close on £1,400,000. Explaining the Government’s plans, the Minister for Defence, Sir George Pearce, said that they were a result of the decision to place the seaplane carrier Albatross in reserve. The new ships would probably be manned by Australian sailors from the Albatross. The Government will not decide until it is considering the Budget for 1933-34 how many of the new ships will be placed in commission and how many in reserve. The ships of the present destroyer flotilla are also on loan from the British Government, but it is unlikely that they will be returned. They will probably be dismantled in Australia.

An advantage of the transfer of the new destroyers to Australia is that this will enable the full strength of the Empire fleet to be maintained. Under the naval armaments limitations of the Washington Treaty the Empire is regarded as a unit for naval purposes, and If old vessels were allowed to remain on the list the total strength would be weakened to that extent. The new move thus means that, In addition to strengthening Australia’s naval defences, the British Government will be enabled to keep the British Navy at full strength.