NAVAL POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1936, Page 5

NAVAL POLICY

BRITAIN AND MEDITERRANEAN (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, May 27. “The Daily Telegraph's” naval correspondent says: Already it is clear that owing to the steady expansion of the European navies, Britain will not be in the position to 'maintain strong naval forces both in Europe and- in the Far East.. The Australian and the New Zealand Governments, therefore, must henceforth depend more and metre jon t>heir own powers of defence.

Undoubtedly, the most pressing problem is the British future policy regarding the Mediterranean Sea. on which, even in the Navy itself, there are two schools of thought. One is that Britain could not hold the Mediterranean Sea against a first class local power, and that she should, therefore, he prepared to divert all of her Eastern traffic via the Cape when an emergency threatens.

The other school argues that the Mediterranean Sea must be held at all costs, even if it means a modernising of Malta defences, and the creating of new naval bases in the Eastern Mediterranean. No official decision has yet been reached on this problem, but one thing is certain. It is only the closest co-operation between the Imperial and V e Dominion Governments that can ensure the Empire’s defences as a. whole being placed on a firm foundation. Moreover, it is difficult to see how the Dominions can escape having to carrv a much heavier burden of expenditure in future than they have undertaken in the past.