AUSTRALIAN NAVY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18018, 17 February 1922, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NAVY.

NEW COMMODORE APPOINTED,

CAPTAIN A. P. ADDISON.

LONDON. Feb. 8.

Captain Albert Percy Addison, C.M.G., has been appointed Commodore command mg the Australian fleet.

Captain Addison served in the Navy throughout the war. He was mentioned in despatches, and was made a Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1917. He was also decorated by the French Government with the Legion of Honor and the Crois de Guerre.

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE. LITTLE CHANGE ANTICIPATED. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY. Feb. 8. It is not likely that the disarmament conclusions of the Washington Conference will materially affect the Australian Navy. As far as is known at present the only effect will be the scrapping of the erstwhile flagship Australia, which has been out of commission for 60me months. Sir Allen Everett, the first naval member of the Australian Naval Board, has made the following explanation of the position:—" Wo have worked out figures under the agreement for auxiliary craft, which includes light cruisers, and it seems that the total is sufficiently high not to necessitate the scrapping of any Australian vessel. The position in regard to submarines is unchanged. While the conference has agreed to certain matters in regard to their control and use, our programme as it stands at present will be completed with the commissioning of the cruiser Adelaide. Doubtless within some months the Admiralty will formula"to a naval policy in accordance with the decisions of the conference, but there appears to be little reason to suppose that Australia's plans will be changed. We shall, of cowse, work in with the general scheme of Empire defence. Nothing has been decided upon in regard to ih'e Australia. Before the war a battleship weighing 10,000 tons was worth £25.000 or £30,000 for breaking up, but there has been such a slump that the value now is probably lower. Of course there are various engines and fittings which will be saleable, but the disposal of the vessel itself is still open."