DISPOSITION OF FLEET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 17, 18 December 1935, Page 2

DISPOSITION OF FLEET

3.45 P.M. EDITION

NAVY IN MEDITERRANEAN. REASONS FOR MOVEMENTS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received December 18, 2.20 p.m. LONDON, Dee. 17. Asked in the House of Commons why the Government had sent the Fleet to Alexandria, Mr Baldwin said the Fleet, in accordance with its autumn programme, was due from Malta on August 29 to proceed to ports in the Eastern Mediterranean. A number of visits to Italian ports were included in the programme, but in view of the hostile Press campaign against Britain then in progress in Italy, it became clear that the visits would not be opportune. Consequently, it was decided to confine the cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean. The whole Fleet had never been at Alexandria, but in view of the limited number of suitable ports in the Eastern Mediterranean it had been necessary for a considerable portion to remain there, as Alexandria was the only port capable of accommodating a large number of ships under winter conditions. (Laughter.) Commander Wedgwood asked if the Fleet would not have been safer if it had actually been in the Suez Canal “so that any Italian bombs would do equal injury to the British Navy and —(cries of “Order!” drowned the rest of the sentence). Mr G. Mander: Is it the policy of the Government to use tho l'lect if necessary, or to run away?' No answer was given.