BRITISH NAVY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10850, 16 March 1921, Page 6

BRITISH NAVY

ONE-POWER STANDARD

IMPORTANT PROVISIONS IN TILE ESTIMATES. DOMINION NAVIES. By Telegraph Press Assn. —Cooyriffht 4 ’ .V v A «s.>c ia i ion. LONDON, .March 14. The First Lord of the Admiralty (Lord Let'dman), in the explanatory note on the Naval Estimate*, iiatea that thov amount, to £'.>l,lS'i.OOO gross and £82,479 000 not, r.-pr. sonting a reduction o! over fourteen millions on the gross, and over eight ami a quartor millions on the net, estimates. Taking into account the increase in price*, wages, and pensions, there is a comparative decrease of over nineteen millions as compared with 1914-15 fig. tires. It is intended to carry out the Government policy of a one-power standard a* economically as possible, giving full weight to the special geographical and international considerations which have arisen since thp war; but tho Admiralty ha* effected drastic economies difficult to reconcile with tho full maintenance of the Government’s declared policy. These include tho reduction of capital ships from twenty to sixteen, compared with twenty-eight in 1914. It hits placed lour destroyer flotilla* in reserve, roiuoed tho North American and South ■Vfrican squadrons by a light cruiser >ach, and tho complete temporary vithdrawal of tho South American iquadron. The personnel has been relucod to 121,700 officers and men, •orapared with 151,000 in 1915. Tho Hercules. Colossus, Neptune, St. \ intent, Collingwood, Temeraire, liellerophon. and Superbe have been placed on the disposal list. The need for tho gradual replacement of obsolete vessels bv modem vessels embodying tho lessons of the war cannot longer bo disregarded. Two aatd a. half millions have, therefore, been included in the Estimates, and thin was tho first instalment for replacement, but the Government does not commit itself, nor contemplate? tnulding programmes in answer to any ot her Power. Indeed, it trusts, as tho result of frank and friendflly discussion with the powerful naval Powers, to avoid anything approaching competitive building. Tho Imperial Conference in June will afford a welcome opportunity for dismissing fully with tho Dominions the problem of the naval policy in relation to the Empire as a whole, and for consideration of mutual co-operation. The lines on which it will" he proposed to proceed are towards the development of Dominion navies, responsible to their own Governments, and working in close cooperation nnder the guidance of a common doctrine. It is proposed to make gradual progress in this direction by the appointment of Dominion officers to the staff at the Admiralty, and for a proportion of Dominion officers to take courses at the Staff College. The Admiralty regrets the suspension of the airship service, but in view of tho stringent financial conditions no other decision was possible. IN THE PACIFIC CONCENTRATION BV UNITED STATES. NEW YORK, March 14. Tho New Tork “Tribune’s’’ correspondent at Washington learns from a high authority that orders for concentrating practically the entire fleet in the Pacifio will be sent out within a few weeks. This is being done, not as a military gesture, tjut merely as a return to sound naval strategy. It n pointed out that every important naval authority has declared that the division of tne nation’s • fleet is the height- of folly, and the present division has been giving grave concern ever since Mr Daniels ordered it.