NAVAL STRENGTHS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 December 1925, Page 5

NAVAL STRENGTHS

BRITISH EXPERT’S COMMENTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, December 2. Archibald Hurd, in a noteworthy article in the “Daily Telegraph,” advocated that the next International Conference should be concerned with disarmament, following up the Washington. He says: ‘The signing of the Locarno Pact has opened the door (to a new world. Britain has already cut down her navy the bone. Whereas she possesed sixty-seven capital ships in March, 1914, she now has only eighteen. The British Army also is far smaller than in 1914, though Britain is responsible for the defence of a quarter of the earth’s surface and a population of 450 millions, to which must be added the agreement to help to defend the Rhine frontier. “During ‘ the Washington Conference hopes were entertained that if Britain set limits to her first line of defence, other nations would agree to restrict their armies and air forces. Unfortunately, these anticipations have not been fulfilled. It is speedily pitiful that the nations reserved complete liberty to develop the two pri» mary enemies of surface ships, namely submarines and aeroplanes. Britain is building " six submarines, the United States has twelve, Japan twenty-eight and France fifty-two under censtruction or projected. When the next International Conference assembles, it should begin proceedings where Washington left off, rememberin<r that the Washington treaty pressed” more hardly on Britain than on any other country, as Britain must defend cargo boats by means of surface ships. Moreover, the Washington instrument was drawn up tect the neutrals and noncombatants at sea. The new atmosphere due to Locarno ffiay make possible in 1 what was impossible in 1921. CANADA'S CONTRIBUTIONS.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

OTTAWA, December 1. Apropos of the "suggestion of Loyd Jellicoe that Canada'should, in addition to other Imperial naval assistance, contribute 36 ipillion yearly towards the c< st of the Imperial Navy, the records litre show that the allocation made by the Canadian Pqrljampjit lasi session' for tlie upkeep of the Canadian Navy for the past year was 1 400,000 dollars. A similar sum was appropriated for the same purpose in the fiscal vein - of 1924-25. “We have had no request of any kind from the British Admiralty tor anv such contribution, or i/Jiy suggestion of it,”' said the Hon. E. M. HlacDonald, Minister of National Defence. ' .