Defence of the Empire

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 68, 13 December 1933, Page 11

Defence of the Empire

Sir, —New Zealand’s naval expenditure does not seem to be more than her fair share of the cost of the Empire’s Navy. Treaties have so restricted the number of large ships that more than ever do they require to be kept concentrated to form the main striking force of each principal navy. Cruisers are meant to work both with battle fleets and on detached service. Our detached cruisers out here are kept in good repair and are manned by trained seamen, so are a real help to the Mother Country. Detached cruisers are not meant to be able to repel powerful enemy squadrons. Powerful squadrons are not plentiful, and their owners would think twice before risking them in indecisive operations at a distance. Our New Zealand cruisers are not such obsolete cro.cks as Spain had destroyed at Manila; they proved useful at the time of the Napier earthquake, and without them our merchant shipping would be more exposed td attack from cheap raiders like the Wolf and Leopard_ and detached cruisers. While the British Navy exists, some of its cruisers, should, be at Empire outposts, and it is only fair that such outposts, if at all able to do so. should, maintain some of the cruisers.—l am, etc., r r FITZ-HERBERT. Havelock North, December 11.