ADMIRALTY VOTE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 23 July 1935, Page 5

ADMIRALTY VOTE

ANGLO-GERMAN PACT CRITICISM IN THE COMMONS FIRST LORD REPLIES (British Qtlieia) Wireioesj (Received 23rd Jidv, 11.4 a.m.) RUGBY, 22nd duly. In a debate on the Admiralty vote in the House ol' Commons opposition speakers criticised the recent Anglo-German naval agreement as not contributing to disarmament, failing to provide for the limitation of tonnage, and assuring German supremacy in the Baltic. Air George Hall (Labour) feared a fresh impetus to naval building and observed that among the nations affected by the Washington and London Naval Treaties 700 ships would be due for replacement between 1936 and 1942, and estimated that the total cost of replacement was £800,000,000. Air Lloyd George (Lib.) expressed surprise at the concession to Germany of a large number of submarines. Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell, First Lord of the Armiralty, said that after December, 1936, all existing naval agreements came to an end and unless they could put something in their place all navies in the future would be entirely unre= stricted.

The Treaty of Washington continued the First Lord, had conferred enormous benefits on all maritime powers. It had cut down expenditure and saved the taxpayers of every nation. It had maintained peace for the last 15 years because the ratios adopted provided a standard of strength appropriate to defensive needs and at the same time gave no country such a predominance as to make it safe to risk aggression. Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell stated that it was unfortunately necessary to abandon the principle of ratios in our efforts to secure new agreements because some countries felt that it was wounding to national pride. Instead they had to have a system of programmes. They would not ask naval powers what their ultimate strength was going to he but wluit size navy did they propose to have in say 1942.' Then if they could by agreement accommodate those various naval strengths so as to provide adequate defence, yet making it exceedingly unlikely for any country to attack with any chance of ultimate success,_ they would have achieved something of enormous advantage to the taxpayers of the world and have contributed very greatly to general pacification. SECURING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT Coming to the question of an agreement with Germany the First Lord compared the task of trying to secure an international agreement with the putting together of jig-saw puzzles in which the pieces were continually altering in shape, size and colour, until recently it proved almost impossible to get any two pieces together. For this reason the Admiralty welcomed the proposal of a great country like Germany to fix their ratio for ever at a point in relation to our own, which we could view without undue anxiety. PERTINENT QUESTIONS ASKED Mr Lloyd George, referring to his controversy with Sir Bolton EyresMonsell quoted reports in newspapers and asked why the First Lord had not contradicted them if incorrect. Did the Germans, either at the preliminary talks or conference intimate to the Admiralty that they were prepared to co-operate in the abolition of submarines?

Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell: “Certainly. I said so.” 'Mr Lloyd George: “Did we turn it down on the ground that France and others would not accept?” Sir Bolton: “That is absolutely untrue. They said they would co-operate We decided to put the proposal forward when we get a general conference at which something can be done.” Mr Lloyd George: “After you have given Germany more submarines?” Sir Bolton: ‘ “We will have a better chance because Germany’ will be with us.” Sir Bolton, discussing tlic AngloGerman pact, said: “The House must realise that we must face up to realities, especially when one is dealing with dictators.”

“FLAGRANT BREACH” CONDONED

Mr Winston-Churchill (C.) regretted that Britain had condoned a flagrant breach of the Versailles Treaty. The mobility of the fleet was greater after the war than before the war. When faced with the German danger that mobility would pass and the whole argument for a base at Singapoie to protect interests in the Indian Ocean and maintain connection with Australia would be affected. We would beunable when the German fleet was built to move any large portion of the British fleet far from home.