THE EMPIRES NAVY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18534, 19 October 1923, Page 7

THE EMPIRES NAVY.

SHAKING i

THE BUirSm;

NO SHIRKING BY AUSTRALIA.

SHIPS TO VISIT DOMINIONS. THE HOOD AND REPULSE. ROUND WORLD CRUISE. By Telesraph— Association— '(Received 5.5 p.m.) ' A. and N.Z. LONDON. Oct. 17. The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, presided at to-day's , sitting of the Imperial Conference, at which Mr. L. C. M.S. Amcry, the-First Lord of the Admiralty, opened a discussion on the naval policy, in the course of which he outlined an itinerary for the proposed Empire cruise of H.M.S. Hood and Bepulse and a light cruiser squadron.

The conference cordially approved the proposal.

The Dominion Prime Ministers were most impressed by Mr. Amery's .speech. Contrary to expectations the speech will not bo published. The warships' cruise of the Empire will embrace South Africa, the Gold Coast, Australia and New Zealand, the return voyage being by way of Canada and Panama. The squadron will sail in autumn, possibly November. Mr. S. M. Bruce, Prime Minister of Australia, interviewed by tho . Morning Post, said: "I must stress the point that cooperation in the maintenance of the Navy should entail contribution by all the Empire. Australians, at any rate, cannot and do not intend to sit back and see the taxpayers of the United Kingdom bear a disproportionately heavy share of tho cost of equipping the Empire Navy for its double task. As we see that task, it is, firstly, to defend the Empire and, secondly, to ensure that the Empire shall continue to speak with full authority in the halls of every international conferencecalled to promote peace throughout the world." -

The Morning' Post comments editorially that Mr. Bruce presents what may ba described as the right Imperial doctrine. It adds, alluding to Australia's willingness to contribute: "We can only say that if such is the spirit of the Dominions there is no need to fear for tho future. It is true enough that while tho requirements of naval defence are increasingly onerous, the taxation of this country, due to the commitments *>f the war, makes it difficult to defray tho whole cost of the protection of • the Empire's trade routes." . -

Tho Hood is the premier ship of the "British Navy, being the largest, the most powerful, and the most modern. She displaces 41,200 tons, has a length of 810 ft. and a beam of 104 ft., mounts eight ISin. guns and carries a complement of 1453. She was completed in 1920. • The Repulse, vhich was completed in 1915, is a battle-cruiser of 26,500 tons carrying six 15in. guns. She has a complement of 950.