DISARMAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 15, 19 January 1927, Page 9

DISARMAMENT

HOW BRITAIN STANDS

A MARITIME EMPIRE ''

IMPORTANCE OF AIR FORGE

(United Press Association.—Copyright.)' . (Published in Th© Times.)

(Received 19th January, 11 a.m.) 1 . GENEVA, 18th January.

The British attitude on disarmament is defined in an official declaration hy the British Empire's disarmament delegation. The declaration emphasises the peculiar position of an insular country with large overseas possessions and interests, and describes it as wholly different from that of a Continental Power. A maritime Empire maintains a navy for two primary reasons: (1)' Safeguarding trade routes for commerce and food; (2) the defence of its own coasts aud the outlying coasts of its Empire. It therefore requires a navy which is only partially affected by the size of neighbouring navies. The same principle applies to armies. . Continental, armies are primarily maintained to prevent aggression. A maritime Empire's army is maintained to supply the needs of its oversea commitments. The size of its army is therefore practically independent of size of neighbouring armies. _The difference does not apply to the air forces maintained by the two different types of country, since the air is a medium free from the limitations necessarily limiting action by land and sro, forces. ty.t follows, therefore, that a country, must possess an air force sufficiently strong to repel invasion. The consequence follows that air. forces must bear a direct relation to the air forces available in neighbouring countries. The report concludes by declaring tha three'services so distinct as to warrant consideration separately, and not in combination. . ' ': .