Empire Integrity Depends on Strong Navy says Earl Beatty

Northern Advocate, 25 January 1939, Page 8

Empire Integrity Depends on Strong Navy says Earl Beatty

[Special to “Npythern /Advocate”! AUCKLAND, This Day.

pARL BEATTY. CHAIRMAN OF THE NAVY LEAGUE IN ENGLAND, MADE AN EARNEST PLEA TO A LARGE GATHERING OF LEAGUE MEMBERS IN AUCKLAND YESTERDAY AFTERNOON FOR MORE PROPAGANDA THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE ON BEHALF OF A STRONG NAVY.

“The completion of the Singapore base has strengthened your position, but you should not be satisfied until you have got more ships and proper defences for your bases,” said Earl Beatty,

“I do not disparage the Air Force, with which the Navy works hand in hand, but the integrity of the Empire must always depend on the Navy, no matter how strong the Air Force may become.

“We have got to see that rearmament is continued and that the British Empire as a whole is brought up to proper strength. We must see that our diplomacy is not handicapped, as it has been very recently.

<■# “Perhaps we should not have come out of the late crisis with the loss of prestige which we obviously have suffered if our fighting forces had been up to the strength they should have been. Tribute to Mr Chamberlain, “Though I may appear to criticise, I wish to pay a tribute to Mr Chamberlain for what he did. His critics assume that the dictators were bluffing, but there is no shred of evidence to show that they were. “The Empire was fortunate in having him to struggle as he did struggle to keep the peace at that time.” Earl Beatty said that his present voyage round the world had brought home to him more than ever the weakness of Britain in this part of the world. Defence of Trade Routes. Not only the Old Country was dependent for survival upon the defence of British trade routes; it was equally important to New Zealand. Great Britain was the largest importer of New Zealand goods, and any interruption of trade would hit the Dominion hard. The need for a stronger mercantile marine was shown by the fact that there were under the British flag more than 1000 fewer ships than at the outbreak of the Great War. Earl Beatty added that it was for the Navy League to see that this fact was brought home to all, and to do everything possible to ensure that Empire Government should hej'p a service that was vital to security.

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