DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 9

DEFENCE

AUSTRALIA'S NEEDS

' INCREASED EXPENDITURE NECESSARY

MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

Another important statement covefing the defences of Australia and the Government's future policy in that matter was made by Mr. E. K. Bowden, Minister of Defence, when he addressed the delegates attending the Interstate Nationalist Conference in Sydney last week. Mr. Bowden dealt with all branches of the defence forces, and emphasised the fact that Australia wae not prepared to meet an emergency.

After reiterating many of the views he emphasised at the Anzac Rifle Range, including the statement that preparation for defence was purely a method of national insurance, Mr. Bowden asserted that all eyes we're turned to the League of Nations in hopeful expectation, because the League was gradually strengthening its position. The League provided the only hope of the peaceful settlement of disputes, although much could be done in that, regard by promoting a union of the English-speaking races. The question of naval power, supplemented by naval bases, was a big factor in Australia s defence. Battleships could not opsrate without bases. The decision to establish the Singapore base was welcome, for it wag essential for the protection of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and Pereia. The present policy of the Government was to co-or-dinate all the defence activities under a single Ministry, with the closest possible liaison between the several branches. The' scheme was inaugurated by Mr. Massy Greene, and was now'in full effect. SOME STARTLING PACTS. A comparison of Australia's naval strengthen 1821 and 1923 revealed some startling facts. There were only 12 ships now in commission, as against 25 two years ago. The Commonwealth now had at its disposal three' light cruisers, three destroyers, and six supplementary ships, but no submarines. The personnel of the fleet, including tlie citizen naval reserves, had been reduced in the two-year period from 10,113 to 7564. The general efficiency was indeed of a very high standard, but' the reduction in personnel could only be regarded as seriouß because it took from four to six years to train a personnel. Further, the cruisers now in commission were fast becoming obsolete. The Sydney and Melbourne would both be obsolete in five years' time, but the Adelaide still had a h'fe of from 12 to 14' years. Light cruisers would still be a very important arm of naval defence, and the question of increasing the naval power must be faced. Australia, continued the Minister, was now marking time pending the decisions of the Imperial Conference, but it was clear that they had to face a much larger expenditure. Modern submarines, ho proceeded, now cost, if built in England, £200,000 each, and if they were constructed in Australia SO per cent, could be added to the cost. As to the cruisers with 8-inch guns, they cpst £2,ooo,ooo—about four times as much as the Sydney and Melbourne cost. If the necessary expenditure of £12,----000,000 was to be spread over a number t>£ years building operations should be commenced immediately. He was quite convinced that submarines were one of the most important arms of defence, and the provision of an efficient flotilla was, one of the matters calling for urgent' consideration.

As to the army, Mr. Bowden pointedly referred to the fact that now there were but 40,000 trainees, instead of 120,000* The period devoted to training was only 10 days "year, and that he regarded as quite lnsuffiicent. The navy and military colleges _ were still doing valuable work in training officers, but they were very expensive, and the cost per student aver aged about £1000 a year. It had to be remembered, of course, that Australia was training over 50 boys in the two institutions, instead of 140. If the colleges were brought up to their full strength the cost of the upkeep of the colleges would not be greatly increased. Australia had reason to be proud of the work done by the colleges, and he could not agree that they should be closed down and officers trained in England. Many suggestions had been made as to the future of tfce colleges, but the Government was not disposed to interfere with their present work until it had the benefit of the best advice possible. The future policy would depend upon the result of inquiries that were being made in England by the Prime Minister. SHORTAGE OF MUNITIONS. _ The Minister asserted that the position regarding munitions was serious. For that reason it had been decided to yxmceVitrate upon a replenishment pf , supplies. Discussing the munition factories at Lithgow and Maribyrnong, lie said that eighteen-pounder would shortly ba turned out, and it was then proposed to manufacture eighteen-pounder shells, and shells for guns up to eix-inch. The making of revolvers would also be undertaken. It was the desire of the department to make the fixed defences and the artillery forces efficient, and all money to spare would be devoted to that purpose. For that reason he could not recommend any change in the policy as far as trainees were concerned. Any change would necessarily be in the direction of securing higher efficiency, and as that would mean additional expense, nothing would be done for two years at least.

Mr. Bowden predicted that aircraft would play a very important part in the defence of Australia. Realising the possibilities, he had recently decided to inetitue a "refresher" echeme for the benefit of the many excellent pilots who were trained during the war. The scheme meant expense, unless it could be worked in with organisations for civil aviation. Sites for aerodomes had already been secured in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane. Sites in other oentres would be purchased later. So far civil aviation in Australia had been wonderfully successful. The Geraldton-Derby service was probably the largest regular service in the world, and for two years it had carried on without accident, covering a total of 200,000 flying miles. It had played art important part in the development of the lruge open spaces outbacK, and if it did no more than remove from the settlers, particularly the .women folk,- the feeling of complete isolation, then it was justified. It was proposed later to extend the service from Derby to Wyndham, and then on to Darwin. A route along the Barclay tablelands was being surveyed. The institution of aviation mail /services of a more important character was also a possibility, particularly a service from Adelaide to Perth. UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION. Mr. Bowden was the guest later on of the .United Service Institution at a function held to celebrate the opening of the reorganised naval and military library of the institution. "When officially declaring the library open, Mr. Bowden made a speech, in which he traversed much of the ground covered in bis address to the Nationalist Conference. Major-General Sir. Charles Rosenthal, president of the institution, extended a ;

welcome to the Minister. In doing so he pointed oat to Mr. Bowden the valuable work achieved by the institution for many years prior to the last war in preparing officers for just such a contingency, and the work it was still capable of doing fn the future—work which would be more valuable still, as the younger officers could not be trained by men who had gained their exDerience on the field of battle. In pointing this out, he urged that such work could not be carried out without financial support, and he asked that the Minister should give favourable consideration to the suggestion that the Government subsidy to the institution should be increased to £500 annually. Mr. Bowden promised to cruder the request made. That the institution did work, he said, had been amply proved by the distinction gained by the men who had passed through it 6 training. Passing on to deal with international questions, Mr. Bowden said he devoutly wished that, failing the entry of Amerioa into the League of Nations, there should at least be some friendly understanding between America and Britain. If those two Powers worked together it would make more for the peace of the world than anything else could do.