BURDEN OF DEFENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 29 April 1937, Page 9

BURDEN OF DEFENCE

POSITION OF THE DOMINIONS Sir Samuel Hoarc, First Lord of the Admiralty, in a recent speech at the annual dinner of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, indicated that the position of the Dominions in regard to defence would be discussed at the Imperial Conference which is to be held at the time of the coronation. “The chief burden of defence—a very heavy burden—at present falls on the shoulders of Great Britain,” said Sir Samuel, “but, anxious as we are to lighten it, we should make a great mistake if we tried to impose some rigid plan upon the other members of the Empire. “We must rather tell them the position—we shall have the opportunity at the Imperial Conference—and leave it to them to decide how far they are prepared or able to co-operate with us.”

Although Great Britain’s burden was heavier to-day than ever before in peace time, she had borne it ungrudgingly and had never wrangled or bargained with the sister Stales as to the share that this or that ought to bear. “We are virtually building a new fleet at a time when the cost of ships has doubled or trebled since the days before the war. Wc intend to complete the task. Let there be no doubt in the minds of foreign countries as to the progress of our programme. We can still build ships belter and stronger and quicker than any other country in the world. “The wild statements that air power has superseded sea power have convinced no responsible statesman in any country of the world. From the point of view of Empire defence sea power will be made more and not less effective by the fullest use of air power, which extends by hundreds of miles the range of a fleet’s attack.” The sister States of the Empire. Sir Samuel added, would find any system of isolated local defence both extravagant and inefficient. With the advent of air power mere local defence had become more than ever inadequate.