BRITISH NAVAL WEAKNESS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 29 September 1933, Page 8

BRITISH NAVAL WEAKNESS

- LOUD JJSLLIOOE’S WARNING. TRADE. ROUTE PROTECTION. fOnu-eil f ress nosociation —By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) LONDON, ‘Sept. 27. Lord Jellicoe, while pleased at Australia’s defence proposals, said in an interview they meant no increase in Australia’s modest naval strength but simply restored that strength to effectiveness. He was much concerned over the present weakness of the British Navy as * whole. Lord Jellicoe regretted the Australian proposal was to make the destroyer flotilla one. leader and (four) destroyers instead of eight, which was a | properly constituted flotilla fully qualified to carry out training exercises in this branch of the service. Britain and Germany (the latter under compulsion) had" reduced their navies ; all other naval Powers'had in creased theirs or at least maintainec wartime strength. “Since we have not enough cruiser; and destroyers to convoy our merchant men in war,” Lord Jellicoe said, “whai will be the position ? 'l'o-day stoppag( of our sea-borne traffic would entai the Empire’s ruin.”

Lord Jellieoe added that his report asked for by the Commonwealth in 1910 Mas ruled out by the Washington decisions in 1921.