SHOWING THE FLAG

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 131, 30 November 1933, Page 22

SHOWING THE FLAG

NAVY PERSONNEL REDUCTION

Napier gave Captain W. C. Jackson, of H.M.S. Veronica, .and ifour of his officers, a great .welcome at the weekend, for Napier owes much to the officers and men of thcsloop for their splendid work during the turmoil of the first days following 'the li) 31 earthquake.

Speaking at a luncheon of welcome Captain Jackson said that since the war great difficulty lfad been found in reducing navies to normal. "Some may think that wo have not reduced enough, but I am sure that a majority here'will agree with me that we have gone too far with our reduction," ho said. •

Reductions hud been. made in both material and men. The reduction in material was not so serious as the .re-, ducing of the personnel,, as ships could be constructed.within a reasonable time, but it took many years to train a man in his work. Two other nations had in-1 creased their -navies by 30,000 and 40,000 men respectively," while' Britain had reduced hers by about 50,000 —a position that was sufficient to cause one to think. ' ■ ■ . : ■

"In time of peace our main d,uty is to go from place to place showing the flag, and with the reduced number of ships it is as much as we can possibly do to .keep it going. Recently I visited an island where the people had not seen a ship and very few British officials for about five years,'V said ■ Captain Jackson. ' •

The whole world looked upon tho British Navy as being the background to prevent aggression, and,many counIrics viewed tin; reductions "in its strength with 'serious misgivings. Some n?buld be, inclined to look, towards other countries which they- believed were now

more powerful. Not seeing the British Navy so much during the last few years was probably causing foreigners to say that Great Britain was losing her place in the world.

The hope was expressed by, the chairman of the gathering, Dr. It. I. Sutton, that when the Veronica is broken up the, plaque- she bears commemorating the gallant work that was done at Napier would be taken off and sent to Chatham for safe-keeping, and. that another ship would be christened H.M.S. Veronica and the plaque installed on .her. . : ~.•■'• .