THE FOUR NEW SHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 17792, 14 October 1921, Page 2

THE FOUR NEW SHIPS

FIRST EMPIRE UNITS. ' ’PREMIER’S REFERENCE. < The statement wee mr.de by the Prime Minister recently that the four new British ships laid down for the Navy were tor the Empire. The ships referred to wore the subject of further reference by Mr Massey in his address at tho New Zealand Club luncheon at Wellington yesterday Ho epoko ot the enthusiastic cooperation of Mr Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, in all mat-tors affecting the naval defence of the Pacific, and expressed his ardent desire that something might come of the Conference at Washington, “for;” he said, “the whole world needs at present SO years’ peace to recover from the horrors and ravages of the late war.” Australia and New Zealand were faced with a serious outlook in view of the existing condition of the British Navy and tho building of big ships by Japan and America. _ Ibe Empire needed the strongest Navy in tho world, and the question was how to bring it about. It was ole-ar that tho different parts of the Empire must assist, and in what proportion would be decided by their Parliaments; but as the United Kingdom contained 85 per cent, of the taxpayers of the Empire, there only remained 15 per rent, to bo divided among the vest, including India, which would pay its share. Tho Empire would contribute towards tho building of tho four modem ships in question. It had been said by some high ■official of the Admiralty, according to a cable message, that this would bo as before. and that- the Navy wan always an Empire Navy. ” f stand by what I said,” declared the Prime Minister. “The British Empire, as an Empire, has never jure vided any ships on any previous occasion. Those four ships will he British Empire ships. Tho Empire will contribute towards their maintenance. I believe it is the beginning of a new era. i am not looking for war. 1 have had enough in last me for the rest of my days. That in not the point. We must bo protected in case of attack from anywhere. Wo cannot protect the Empire unless wo have fillips ns good as those of other nations. Our sailors are. the best in the world, ami they have shown it. (Applause.) But they must nave fillips.”

Mr Massey referred to the number of ships the war had proved defective and caused to 'op. scrapped. Ho urged again an agreement between the HireP groat, naval Powers of urn World -Great Jlritain, America. and Japan. If the.v would agree not to build any more warships, say, for twenfcy-fivo years, it would Us the heat possible thing that could happen; hut (ho difficult it's of Japan were known. She was a small country with a very largo population, which must find an outlet. Everybody knew that the necessity for an outlet might lead to very serious trouble, in the future; but he must sav this: that for twenty years Japan had been a. veiy loyal ally, and there iiad not been a. single complaint with respect to her. America was our natural ally. Personally, he would he giad to enter into an nlliauro with America to-morrow, but if the three nations could agree nothing would bo better. Until something of the sort was done they had got, to carry on and provide not only sufficient means of protection for Great Britain, but for every part of the Empire and for even- citizen of the Empire. There were no "countries of the Empire in greater need of adequate naval protection than these young nations of the South Pacific—New' Zealand and Australia. (Applause.) For this reason he urged a contribution to (ho Empire ships.