DEFENCE BY SEA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10540, 17 March 1920, Page 6

DEFENCE BY SEA

THE NAVAL ESTIMATES

CAPITAL SHIP NOT YET [ DOOMED. | NEW TYPE POSSIBLE. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Imperial News Service. ' (Received Marcli 16, 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, March 16. An explanatory memorandum to the Navy Estimates issued by Mr Walter Long (First Lord of • the Admiralty) shows that after deducting ,£19,000,000 for non-recurrent war liabilities and £40,0U0,000 lor re-current expenditure duo to war conditions, such as increases in prices, wages and pensions, there remains a normal expenditure on the ibasis of pre-war rates and prices totalling £37,500,000, compared with £35,000,000 in 1915-16. The memorandum says that, in view of the efforts made during the war, it is possible temporarily to suspend production and reduce the fleet to minimum requirements both in personnel and material.

Tho memorandum contends that, far from the capital ship being doomed either on account of submarines or aircraft, the war had shown that the battle squadron must still remain the chief unit of tho fleet, though advances in science would inevitably necessitate eventual changes in type. Thus it is even possible that tho present battleship may change to a semisuM>marino type or even a flying type, hut the immediate abandonment of the capital ship in favour of a- visionary scheme of aircraft or submarines would leave tho British nation destitute of sea power and without means of progressive training.