Pacific Dominions’ Defence

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 184, 7 August 1939, Page 3

Pacific Dominions’ Defence

MEETING ANY EMERGENCY LONDON, July 29. There is reason to believe that, although Britain has no capital ships in the Pacific, the authorities are satisfied that the Imperial defence plans will enable the British and Australian Navies to meet any contingency east of Suez. The Admiralty considers that, iu present circumstances, Australia’s and New Zealand’s main need is concentration of naval defences. On this is based strategy designed to meet an emergency, whether it occurs in Europe or tho Pacific, or both simultaneously. Questions are constantly being asked in Parliament why there are no battleships in the Pacific, but the Admnalty believes that, ou existing dispositions, capital ships could be made available from home or Mediterranean waters for the Pacific in good time. One governing factor is the progress at Singapore, which has now reached the stage at which, it is thought, the defences there, coupled with existing naval dispositions in the Pacific, could stave off any attack pending the arrival of naval reinforcements. The whole of the Empire’s naval strategy has been planned to cover all oceans and embrace bases in all the Dominions; and tho rate at which uew ships are being commissioned is such that, very soon. Britain’s naval forces, assisted by the French in the Meditterranean, will bo enabled to assure pro tc< ' m almost anywhere in the Empii agaiuc. u... u.l invasion or even raids.