NAVAL DEFENCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 September 1924, Page 5

NAVAL DEFENCE

INTENTIONS OF UNITED STATES

AIMING AT BRITISH LEVEL

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT

(Received Sept. 1, 9.3 oa.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 31. The Secretary of the Navy, Mr Wilbur, on his first visit to the Pacific coast, said in a speech that he had come to give particular attention to America’s lines of defence. There was a Bill before Congress awaiting final reading providing for a big nayal base on the Pacific coast for aircraft. America -would not violate any treaty agreements, but would go ahead raising the elevation of their naval big guns. In the matter of armament limitation America was not up to her ratio with Great Britain and' Japan, but was building to match Britain, with whom she aimed to get equal as speedily as possible. 'He said: “The human race, as now constituted, has spread from Eastern Asia to the East and West, and the marching hosts of two civilisations now stand face to face across the Pacific. Either these two must pause on their respective shores or by war cause the retreat of thej .opposing civilisation.—Sydney Sun Cables.