ADEQUATE NAVY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 33, 8 August 1934, Page 13

ADEQUATE NAVY

FIRST LORD URGENT

BRITAIN MUST WAKE UP

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LONDON, June 28.

Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking at Spctehlcy Park, near Worcester, urged the need for an adequate Navy. He quoted figures of expenditure on armaments showing that England was tho only country which had decreased her spending in this direction during tho last eight years. This doorcase amounted to 16 por cent.

In the same period other countries had increased their expenditure on armaments as follows:—

Italy, 9i per cent.; United States, over 10 per cent.; Germany, over 12 per cent.; Japan, over 80 per cent.; France, over 100 per cent.; Russia, over 197 per cent. "It is about time," said Sir Bolton, "that wo woke up, and that wo looked to our national and Imperial defences. Wo cannot go on pursuing an international dream of disarmament all alone. Without an adequate Navy the Empire will1 mclv away and cease to exist. I bolicve that a strong Navy helps more than anything else towards world peace. Wo must not think for one moment that thoro aro not covetous eyes looking at some of our heritage. I believe that the best thing we can d> for peace is to havo an, adequate Navy, so that we can render what is over one-thiM of this world's surface stable and secure."

Mr. Baldwin paid a tribute to the loyalty of Sir Bolton. He said he spoke with considerable emotion among, old friends who had supported him in good times and in bad times, and who had never lost their faith in him as their representative. . "I remember years ago a man said to mo in tho House of Commons, 'What made you chooso Bobby Monsell for your Chief Whip?' I answered very quickly, 'I. want a man who will swim or sink with me. I can find many who will swim; but thoso who will sink with ono are not many.'" - Mr. Baldwin added that they had been together on the ship whon it had nearly turned turtle. He did not think either-of them had been rattled; and they had never lost faith in one another. ■ •