BRITISH SERVICE FLEET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18756, 9 July 1924, Page 11

BRITISH SERVICE FLEET

SHIPS AT SAN FRANCISCO. AN ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME. A. and N.Z. SAN FRANCISCO. July 7. The Special Service Squadron of the British Navy arrived this afternoon from British Columbia for a visit of three days. The fleet was accorded a rousing welcome.

An official welcome from the American Navy was extended by tho ships of the battle fleet.

Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Field and his officers began a Series of official calls. A continuous round of entertainments has been planned.

DEFENCE OF CANADA.

"MISSIONARY WORK" NEEDED.

LONDON. June 29.

The Times editorially expresses the hope that the "missionary work" of the Special Service Squadron, now in Canadian waters, will be as successful as it was in Australia and New Zealand.

Canada's response, the newspaper points out, is more doubtful than that of Australia and New Zealand, which have announced increased shipbuilding and naval training, but the Washington Treaty's limitation of the British Navy, the question of Asiatic immigration, and the abandonment of the Singapore naval base, are all problems that Canada must face as well as New Zealand and Australia, who have both spent immeasurably greater sums on naval defence annually.

Undoubtedly, says the Times, Canada has her own, reasons for not following the example of Australia's small, but efficient, navy, or New Zealand's contributions of cruisers and men; nevertheless, it is to be hoped that the fleet's visit will show Canada the .necessity of naval defence.