PENDING NAVAL VISITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17040, 23 December 1918, Page 7

PENDING NAVAL VISITS.

FLEET TO TOUR DOMINIONS

LATEST BATTLE-CRUISERS.

CALL OX UNITED STATES.

(Received 5.5 p.m.) Argus. LONDON. Doc. 20. A powerful British fleet, including the latest battlc-cruisors, will visit the United State*, Australia, and the other Dominions as soon as peaco is signed.

MISSION OF LORD JELLICOE.

INSPECTION AND ADVICE.

(Received 5.5 p.m.)

A. and N.Z.-Reuter LONDON. Deo. 20.

The Admiralty states that the Dominion Ministers, having intimated at the close of tho Imperial War Conference that the Dominions would welcome visits from a highly-qualified representative of the Admiralty for tho purpose of advising the Dominion authorities on naval matters, tho Board of Admiralty, with the approval of the War Cabinet, has depnted Admiral Lord Jellicoe to visit the Dominions and India early in the New Year. . Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Dee. 20. Lord Jellicoe expects to travel to Australia and New Zealand in the battlecruiser New Zealand.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STEP.

WORLD'S GREATEST EXPERT. The announcement that Lord Jellicoe is to visit the Overseas Dominions, and advise upon naval matters, was characterised by the Hon. A. M. Myers yesterday as one of the most important and far-reaching items of news received hero for some time. He said that on the shoulders of Lord Jellicoe had rested, probably more than any other naval authority's, the responsibility of placing the British Navy in the high state of efficiency it was universally admitted to have reached and maintained. Through his influence the present glorious peace had been vitally assisted. There was probably no higher authority on naval matters at present, and it was, therefore, of supremo importance that a man of his high standing should have been called upon to advise the Dominions in tho mattor (if a naval policy. Lord Jellicoe would thus follow in the footsteps of the late Earl Kitchener, whose services had been similarly invoked in connection with New Zealand's land defenco organisation. The present able naval adviser to the Dominion Government, Captain Hall-Thomp-son, had already prepared a report dealing with naval matters as affecting this country, said Mr. Myers. Lord Jellicoe's visit would, therefore, bo most opportune, as, when both reports *ero considered, the future naval policy of New Zealand could bo determined on the advice ■of high experts.