NAVAL DEFENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1933, Page 5

NAVAL DEFENCE

GREAT NECESSITY

ADDRESS BY N.Z. ADMIRAL.

(Per Press Association—Copyright). ; iNVEIvCAIIGILL, October 12. Invercargill .i(dtasans wer© privileged at tu-day?s-iuDchedii? to hear an outspoken address oil. ‘tlio wkWld situation by Rear-Admiral Burgos-Watson, who deplored an excessive amount of talk, which, ho said, lej nowhere, ana! who pleaded for an, increase, hi Britain's naval strength as the); sureso means of "security tor.,-the-. Empjre. “A strong navy never has been, and never will bo, an instrument of aggression,” lie said. I> A ,navy m of the sea, can bring economic . pressure on to an enemy, but-aione it cannot produce a decisive, result." A.navy is a shield; an army ,is a.spearhead. If we had a strong navy and a large army, our .intentions' ,A?pul<i Jbe definitely aggressive; but pur . army is only pL small professional hirniy tW'help to keep what-.we ,h’ave. ( In pur* long history of peace-an,d-Avar, our navy has acted a» a shield to prote.ct ■us from invasion, and ltd bold, the' sea- free for our trado. Even in >var, ‘the. navy’s role is one of protection 'and preservation, other than destruction.”.

Hoar-Admiral HurgesiWat^ofi 1 referred to Mr Baldwin's speech/at the Conservative party’s conference' at Birmingham. He said.. the important- part of Mr Baldwin’s utterance lay in the following sentence: “The nation that breaks the Disarmament- 'Convention, will have no friends in thig civilised, world, and ; the same is true -of , anynation -which deliberately prevents such an agreement'being reached.” "Well, supposing,.” asked Admiral Burge,s-Watson, “some great nation refuses to sign? What of' it? How far are the rest going'to show‘their unfriendship ? I, must 'nqfc say hostility—that’s far too strong. Cut them when .we meet them bAin'the’ street:-’ .Send them a very, strong note? Put economic pressure on theta ? .‘Yes; ,that?s .it! pressure-.on them,’ says the pacifist';*,but I say it is just that- very thing {that; makes war. ' A nation that Has' already refused to sign will .know Qp ; which .side bread is* buttered before it/ takes' that step. AVhen' economic pressure is apnlicd,. it- will!., pick gut a nation on which it feels it .can administer a- good.

sound inekV Are 1 all of the other .‘pries’ . going/to., join and’ help- the assaulted one?, I. ant "'surprised/at Mr Baldwin*;talking Aicularlv-. in the ■La * , e; happened lately in the of Nations, over just, sjiclr/a r cage."’• He talks- of tlie/ awful opr»sequences: if...the nations re-arni. )Which patiop;; hn.s npt,rearmed? .Germany’, is complaining he* cause h.v tlfe 'she iis Aiof' allowed to. So much foj' that fallacy!”