BRITISH NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21578, 24 August 1933, Page 9

BRITISH NAVY

ADMIRALTY'S PLANS MANY MORE VESSELS INCREASE IN PERSONNEL OTHER POWERS GIVE LEAD By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 23, 8.35 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 23 Mr. Hector C. By water, naval contributor, writing in tho Daily Telegraph, says proposals which represent the only alternative to Britain's collapse as a great naval Power are expected from the Admiralty in tho near future. It is felt that tho latest American and Japanese programmes have administered tho death-blow to naval limitation by agreement. The Admiralty's proposals may be expected to provide for 25 new cruisers of equal tonnage and armament to tho best foreign craft, an annual quota of 15 to 18 destroyers in order to make up the huge deficit, a large submarine programme, a great inciease in tlio naval air force, and tho addition of at least 10,000. to tho personnel. Tho fleets of the United States, Japan, Franco and Italy have been practically rebuilt since the war, says the writer, \yhereas Britain is dependent to a large extent on obsolete ships which may be death-traps in battle. OLD ARETHUSA SHIP BEING BROKEN UP SALUTES FROM THAMES CRAFT (Received August 23, 6.5 p.m.) British "Wireless RUGBY, Aug. 22 The old Arethusa, which was tho last naval vessel to go into action under sail and for the last 60 years has served as a training ship for boys, is in tho hands of She was towed from her moorings at Greenhithe yesterday and was saluted on her last voyage to a yard at Woolwich by all the craft on the Thames. Much of the vessel's timber is to be preserved and her work as a training ship, through which 12,000 boys passed into the Navy and Mercantile Marine, is to be continued by tho new Arethusa.