The Navy’s Task

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1938, Page 4

The Navy’s Task

rn HE Navy, on which, under the good providence of God, I the wealth, safety and strength of the kingdom chiefly depend. ’ ’ So runs an historic paragraph in the British Articles of War. From the days of the Battle of Sluys, when Edward 111 routed the French, to the present time, when great ships are being built which cost, by themselves, almost as much as the entire naval estimates of 60 years ago, a strong navy has been regarded as the chief bulwark of Britain and her possessions. Emphasis on the importance of the Navy in the present-day scheme of Imperial defence was given by Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, in a speech in England recently. “ Empire unity,” he said, “depends on sea power.” • Today, more than ever, it is important for Britain to hold the sea, and New Zealand, perhaps more than most other countries of the Empire, should be conscious of this. During the Great War, New Zealand and Australia had little to fear from German naval activity once the German cruisers had been cleared from the seas. The presence of the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau in the Pacific gave some anxiety in New Zealand early in the war, 'and the despatch of. the first troopships to Egypt was delayed until a Japanese escort could he provided. But the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau were sent to Davy Jones’s locker at the battle of the Falkland Islands. After that, only one or two isolated raiders came to the Pacific, and their mission was to drop mines and prey on commerce, not to venture near any Large undefended ports. Today the situation is different. Japan, with her great naval strength in the Pacific, who gave protection to New Zealand troopships during the Great War is now a potential enemy. For that reason Australia and New Zealand must both maintain stronger navies. Australia is even building a battleship. New Zealand is getting an additional cruiser. But even that protection may not prove enough.