NAVY LEAGUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21569, 15 February 1932, Page 8

NAVY LEAGUE

NEW YEAR MESSAGE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 31. The following New Year message is signed bv Sir Cyril S. Cobb (chairman of the Executive Committee of the Navy League) and by Commander H. M. Denny (general secretary):— The Navy League, now as ever mindful of the vital necessity of an adequate royal navy for the protection of our food supplies and of those who pass on the seas on their lawful occasions, once more on this New Year s Day desires to remind our people of the great importance of the “Sea Affair.’ We have frequently called attention to the extent to which other Powers are increasing their fleets, especially in cruisers and destroyers, and how dangerous it will be if any further reductions in our naval forces in these categories should be put forward at the forthcoming Disarmament Conference. The latest development of this phase is illustrated by the fact that other nations, following the lead of Germany in the construction of the new battleship Deutschland and the laying down of a second vessel of this class, are evidently intending to construct an entirely new class of capital ship. Wo are precluded by the Treaties of Washington and Loudon from laying down any new battleship or battle cruiser. If‘it is true that the call for economy is universal, this should give pause to the creation of further capital ships by all the naval Powers. If. however, oilier nations, as well as Germany, decide to build these powerful vessels, surely it will be the duty of our representatives at the forthcoming Disarmament Conference to make it quite clear that it may become necessary for us to reconsider our position under these treaties. In the meantime, there should not be any further delay in the commencement of the three cruisers and nine destroyers of the 1931 programme, which have not yet been laid down; taking these vessels into account, our tonnage of effective cruisers and destroyers will be considerably short of the amount allotted by the London Naval Treaty, and altogether inadequate for the guarding of our sea routes and the protection of our commerce in the event of any outbreak of hostilities in any quarter of the globe.