CAPITAL SHIPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22578, 17 November 1936, Page 9

CAPITAL SHIPS

DEFENCE FROM BOMBS GREAT PROGRESS MADE CONFIDENCE OF ADMIRALTY Hy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless RUGBY, Nov. 15 •Referring in a broadcast speech on sea power to the bomb versus battleship controversy, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Samuel Hoare, said great progress had been made in the defence of ships. Their armour had been made stronger, their range of operation greater, and their power of attack had been strengthened by their own use of the new air arm. It was these reasons that made the Cabinet Committee affirm once again the principle of sea power and conclude that, while a new problem had undoubtedly been created and finality could never be reached in the struggle between attack and defence, there was no reason to change Britain's historic attitude to the sea or her confidence in the Fleet as the arm upon which the country depended for food and raw materials and Imperial solidarity. They declared that the capital ship must remain; that no ship was lees likely to bo destroyed than the heavy battleship, and that no air force could replace the Navy. A system of closest co-operation must be worked, however, between the Navy and Air Force for ensuring the greatest practicable measure of security in essential areas of narrow seafi, naval bases and civil harbours. For this purpose it would bo necessary for the Fleet to make the fullest possible use of shipborne aircraft, and it would be necessary for the Air Force to be strong enough to give effective assistance with land-based machines.

Further measures to strengthen the air defences of London were announced. Three anti-aircraft batteries and seven anti-aircraft companies will be raised, in addition to the extra anti-aircraft companies authorised in October. IMPORTANCE OF NAVY FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE NEW ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS LONDON, Nov. 11 The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, Sir Thomas Inskip, said in the House of Commons yesterday that Britain's air force must, in its own sphere, be as powerful as the British Navy. He added, however, that the Navy continued to bo Britain s first line of defence.

In the debate which followed Sir Thomas Inskip's speech, Admiral Sir Roger Keves said that most of the Navy's aircraft were obsolete. "I refuse to believe that another war is inevitable if we take proper precautions," declared Sir Thomas Inskip, in the course of his speech. Sir Thomas Inskip continued that so long as the Empire was dependent on its oversea communications no one would undervalue tho importance of a supremely strong navy. To say that the growth of air power had destroyed Britain's historic security as an island was only a fraction of the truth. The main purpose of the expansion of the air, force was to provide for defence from attack from the air. New Gun Factory

Resources for the provision of new and powerful guns for the air defence scheme had been supplemented. Apart from existing Government establishments and special private firms, large additional capacity had been created in the form of a Government factory at Nottingham, which would begin production in six weeks' time.

He had heard that day of the last steps in the negotiations for the new proposal for gun production by a group of firms in the north of England, and these proposals had been.submitted for final approval. So far as the Navy was concerned, the Fleet Air Arm was indispensable, but the time had not yet come for the abolition of capital ships. The Government was of opinion that no aircraft could play the role of capital ships. Dealing with the shadow scheme for aircraft engine production. Sir Thomas Inskip said that a proper survey would be carried out as soon as possible, and provision would be made so that if war should 'unhappily break out, the whole of the six firms in the shadow scheme would be able to turn over to the manufacture, not of a single part, but of the whole engine. Sir Thomas Inskip mentioned that a balloon barrage on an extensive scale — kite balloons moored in a row and linked together by a horizontal cable, from which hung wires weighted at the lower end —was a necessary part of London's defences against aircraft. Dual Control Condemned Admiral Sir Roger Keyes (Conservative —Portsmouth) urged that«dual control of the Fleet Air Arm by the Air Ministry and the Admiralty should be abolished and control given to the "Admiralty. He said that the majority of the Navy's machines were obsolete, and the question of reserves was causing concern. The American service was 100 per cent ahead of ours. This he attributed to the fact that the American naval air service was governed 6y the navy for the navy. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Samuel Hoare, pointed out that no speaker during the debate had questioned the need for rearmament. "Let the people outside noto that, and particularly foreign countries," he said. "There is no foundation for the statement that the Government is vastly behind with its programme," continued the First Lord. "The production of aircraft engines is better than was provided for in the Estimates, though the production of aircraft has not quite reached the Estimates." With reference to dual control of the Fleet Air Arm, Sir Samuel said that there must be a point of contact between the Navy and the Air Force. The question was whether this had been found. The Government was bearing the matter in mind. The Government did not worship big ships, but it could not run the risk of having ships substantially less strong than those of other naval Powers. However powerful aeroplanes might be in narrow seas, they could not operate over four-fifths of the seas of the world.