LARGEST NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 15

LARGEST NAVY

AMERICA'S OBJECTIVE DEFENCE ON TWO COASTS EXPANSION PROGRAMME [from our own correspondent] NEW YORK, Feb. 1 The days of the "two-Power'| standard, during which British policy was to have a navy at least stronger than the next two Powers, are recalled by the Naval Expansion Bill, presented by Admiral Stark. Chief of Naval Operations, sponsored by President Boosevelt, and which has now come before Congress. Admiral Stark's objective is a navy that can defend the United States against a possible coalition of enemies, whom he candidly named as .Japan, Russia, Germany and Italy, mentioned by him in that order. For that purpose, Admiral Stark proposed a vote of 1.300.000.000 dollars, to add 400.000 tons to the present naval establishment. He listed the relatho strength of navies, as follows:—Great Britain. 2,053.229 tons; United States. 1.727.020; Japan, 1,180,984; France. 801.370; Italy, 710,035; Germany, 516.653; Russia, 478.518.

The International Situation Admiral Stark takes a serious view of the international situation. "It has deteriorated," he hold the House Na\al Affairs Committee, in outlining his proposals. " There is no immediate prospect that it will improve. It is rife with possibilities of a general European war, and, in conjunction with Far Eastern conditions, presents a threat of world conflagration. We must face the possibility of an Allied defeat, and then measure the strength of the Powers which might combine for action against the Americas. If our navy is weaker than the combined strength of potential enemies; it is too small. Asked, if the fleet were divided, half in the Atlantic and half in the Pacific, whether it would be able to defend the country in oceans, he replied that it would * not be strong enough. "We would probably be thrown back on our haunches," he said. Vigorous Expans'~n

Admiral Stark's proposal provided for the building of 107 ships, 77 combatant and 30 auxiliary types; for the increase of cruiser and destroyer tonnage. The proposal to build battleships of 60.000 and 80,000 tons would be considered. It would bring the total spent on defence from 1934 to 1941, inclusive, to 10.000,000,000 dollars, and increase the per capita annual cost to more than 15 dollars. The naval budget to-dav is three times the amount voted seven years ago.

The navy's authorised aeroplane strength has already been increased, to 3000 machines, a total it was to reach by 1944. A vast new programme of naval bases was started recently by the last Congress. The President, by Executive Order, instructed the navy to put into commission scores of its laidup destroyers, and to increase its personnel materially, to man these and other new ships.

The House of Representatives passed the 'Navy Expansion Bill early in March. The Naval Affairs Committee of the House on February 13 submitted for the consideration of the House a bill totalling 966,722.000 dollars, which is 51.412,000 dollars above the 1940 total, but 111,699,000 under the Budget Estimates. The bill included provision for funds to start 19 warships and complete the 97 already under construction, also to start the construction of 352 aeroplanes, and 1,000,000 dollars to improve harbour facilities at Guam.