PROGRESS HANDICAPPED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26708, 1 March 1948, Page 7

PROGRESS HANDICAPPED

BRITISH NAVAL RESEARCH SHORTAGE OF TRAINED STAFF LONDON, Feb. 27. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Viscount Hall, said in a statement on the Navy Estimates for 1948-49 thai. the present shortage of trained scientists and technicians was handicapping progress in the naval research upon which the navy’s future effectiveness would largely depend.. ‘ The maximum effort and the highest priority are being given in this field,” he added. “There is no doubt that the outcome of this work will be vital in the task of keeping the British Navy in the forefront of the world navies. Viscount Hall added that naval personnel in 1948-49 would be reduced to 139,500 (excluding women’s services) compared with 191,000 in 1947-48. A Government White Paper disclosed the navy’s operational strength as: Battleships. 2; fleet carriers, none; light fleet carriers. 4; escort carriers, none; cruisers, 16; destroyers, 34: frigates, 29; submarines, 26; minesweepers, 12. A substantial proportion of the vessels now counted as operational will not be available until later in 1948. Viscount Hall, in a memorandum on the Navy Estimates, says that of the Japanese warships allocated to the United Kingdom several were in such a bad condition that they were already scrapped and probably would also be scrapped. The British detachment which had operated under United States command had been withdrawn from Japan. New construction for the navy haJ been deliberately slowed so as not to interfere with merchant shipbuilding and repair work. Naval aviation, both front-line and training squadrons, had been further contracted, but re-equip-ment with modern types of British aircraft was making steady progress, and the highest standards of training, operation, and general administration were being maintained.