ENGINES OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 41, 17 August 1921, Page 5

ENGINES OF WAR

FREE GIFTS BY BRITAIN

CONDEMNED IN A REPORT.

(B*1T1» Mill ASBOCIATION.-COPTIUMT.)

(AUSTRALIAN • NEW ZIAI.ANI CAILg A88OOIATISN.) LONDON, 16th August. '

The report of the sub-committee on public accounts was issued to-day. It says it is clearly a serious matter that warships should'be given away without the consent of Parliament. "We note that the Encounter, with her guns and stores, three mine-sweeping sloops' valued at £73,000 each, and two submarine engines with spares, were all thus eriven to Australia, aud two submarines to Canada. Prom the' Army accounts* ws find thit surplus non-marketable stores valued at two millions when new were handed over to Poland gratis, with the sanction of the Treasury. Seventeen millions worth of stores, in addition to cash amounting to six and a half millions, were similarly given to Russia: and fifty surplus aeroplanes were given to Greece. The committee adds: "No doubt-dur-ing the war it may not always have been possible to await sanction j but all the above gifts were made long after the Armistice."