MORE NEEDED BY U.S.A.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 24 October 1940, Page 5

MORE NEEDED BY U.S.A.

j VALUE OF SEA POWER STRESSED BY NAVAL SECRETARY [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright) WASHINGTON, 22nd October. | The Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Knox, in a speech, said: I “The United States needs more Pacific bases and we will have ! them. How far flung these Pai cific bases must be is a question \ which awaits the outcome of | events now in the making. I “The war is again proving that the nations controlling the high j seas control the world’s destiies. The war has become a war of food and oil. The contestants | able to survive immediate attacks while controlling the food and oil supplies will win the war. "The nation controlling the sea approaches to Europe has an immens® i advantage. That is Britain. Only : the possession of seapower. denying the German crossing of the English Channel, has enabled British air- , power, outnumbered probably four to i one, to make a magnificent defence. “The only way of approach to the Western Hemisphere is across the sea. If we recognise the soundness of this i principle, not only are we safe our--1 selves, but we will exercise a profound influence on the peace and security of i the rest of the world. “We now have 15 battleships and , will have 32; we have 37 cruisers and i will have 85. Our six aircraftcarriers will be increased to 18, and our destroyers from 159 to 325. Our present submarine strength will be raised from 104 to 185. J “We have 1200 combatant plane* and will have more than 6000. “Every private shipyard equipped to build warships is laying down ships and building more slipways. Every navy yard is building to capacity. “The acquisition of eight Atlantic bases has tremendously strengthened the United States. It is equivalent to many ships, making the Atlantic defences well-nigh impregnable.”