BRITISH DEFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 64, 13 February 1936, Page 7

BRITISH DEFENCE

IMPLEMENTS THE PROGRAMME. SIR S. HO ARE MAY RETURN. STRENGTH OF THE FORCES. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received February 13, 11.10 a.m. LONDON, Feb. 12. From the fact that Sir Samuel Hoare and Viscount Swinton (Sir Philip Cun-liffe-Listcr) both hail interviews with Mr Baldwin yesterday, some quarters assume an impending Cabinet reshuffle as a necessary prelude to carrying out the rearmament programme. Both the Navy and Air Ministers sit in the Lords, and it is suggested that Mr Baldwin is anxious to have in the Commons a stronger mouthpiece than junior Ministers. For that reason the restoration of Sir Samuel Home to Cabinet rank is hinted, but well-in-iormed quarters say it is not immediately contemplated. Admiral Sir Murray Sueter will move in the House of Commons the Bill to create a Ministry of Defence to control all strategical and technical matters, but already sufficient condemnation of its impracticability is voiced to ensure its withdrawal after it lias served a useful purpose l'or a general debate and probably Mr Baldwin’s disclosure of the- steps the Ministry is taking to strengthen the services. v Lord Strabolgi, in tlie House of Lords, moved for a full inquiry into the organisation, equipment, and control of the British fighting forces in view of the proposed increased expenditure on thorn.

Viscount Monsell, in reply to the inquiry, said that a commission• was not acceptable because completion of its report would occupy three years. The only realistic test of the bombs versus battleships issue would be war. It was realised that guns firing vertically must supplement guns firing horizontally. Satisfactory progress was being made in providing them. Air attacks had not rendered battleships obsolete. Tlie Admiralty had conducted sufficient secret experiments to provide adequate information for modern battleship construction. The motion was lost. Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell, in last night’s speech, disclosed Cabinet’s mood in the statement that it would take perhaps three years, which was too long. “AVe have already waited too long. AVe have stayed our hands, hoping others will follow our example. They have not, so wo are bound ’to put our deficiencies right.” Since be was first Lord, the Cabinet bad 120 times discussed defence and the Committee of Imperial Defence had held 880 meetings (this disposes of the latest Italian propaganda canard that the Dominions had told Mr Baldwin that their enthusiasm for imperial defence was cooling). Sir Bolton Eyres-Mcnsell’s revelation that secret experiments had given valuable results regarding the protection of warships against aircraft was a postscript to liis affirmation that bombers had not rendered battleships obsolete. The battleship romainded the final arbiter. That was the opinion of America. to-day,, and all the other naval Powers.

This statement gives point to a report from New York that the Naval Conference has agreed to limit cruisers during the next few years to 8000 tons, with 6-inch • guns. In consideration of America’s yielding oil the matter, Britain may accept America’s proposal for 35,000 ton battleships, instead of the 25,000 tonners which Britain favoured.

FAITH IN THE NAVY. NEW SHIPS BUILDING. (British Official Wireless.) ' Received February 13, 11.50 a.m. RUGBY, Feb. 12. Viscount- Monsell, in the House of Lords, referring to the relative value of air bombers and battleships, said that no nation was showing the slightest sign of doing away with capital ships, of which seven were at present being built in Europe, lour of them being the largest allowed under the Washington Treaty. The Government did not under-rate the immense offensive power of anti-aircrait guns, but the modern battleship could discharge about a thousand shells weighing nearly one ton in one and a half hours, and it was built to withstand such attack. Aerial bombing had merely brought the question ol the rearrangement of defence. The authorities were more than satisfied with the progress made with antiaircraft guns. Experiments carried but had enabled them to make adequate protection lor battleships against, the air menace, both as regards antiaircraft guns and hull construction. FIJIAN GRANT. SUGGESTION FOR INCREASE. SUVA, Feb. 12. The Fiji Legislative Council in November voted its annual grant of £5001) toward Imperial defence. The Fiji Times, in an editorial, suggests a special grant from the surplus funds of £IO,OOO in view of the present circumstances of the Empire. It is believed that the proposal will meet with the approval of the elected menbers.