BRITISH DEFENCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22320, 18 January 1936, Page 13

BRITISH DEFENCES

NEED FOR STRENGTHENING NEWSPAPER'S CAMPAIGN (Received January 17. 9.5 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 17 The Morning Post, hinting that had not Mr. Baldwin's lips been sealed during the debate in the House of Commons on the Hoare-Laval peace proposals he would have emphasised the weakness of the defence forces and shown that Britain has not a reliable friend in Europe, and therefore at all costs was concerned to prevent an international crisis, has begun a campaign in favour of strengthening the national defences.

The paper states that when the British Fleet was sent-to the Mediterranean it had barely sufficient ammunition to supply it, and the naval personnel was seriously inadequate. Technical considerations were liable to entail dangerous delay in the building of urgently needed new vessels, and the oil and food supply in the event of war would be seriously jeopardised. Germany and Italy had large forces of efficient submarines and other craft able to attack the trade routes,. which emphasised the fact that similar weaknesses existed in the British Army and Air Force as in the Navj\ In a second article, the Morning Post asserts that the ammunition position was so serious when the fleet was sent to the Mediterranean in August that if the supply had been expended in a sudden clash the Navy would have been virtually helpless until deficiencies were made good. It also asserts that the Navy's stocks of oil fuel are now below its needs.

According to the Daily Telegraph the British naval renovation programme

covering the next five years includes & minimum of seventy cruisers. It adds that the programme will be designed to bring the Navy to full treaty strength in modern tonnage in all ship categories.