DEFENCE OF EMPIRE

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 21

DEFENCE OF EMPIRE

STATEMENT

BY

LORD JELLICOE.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 4. At an at home tendered by the Canterbury branch of the Navy League to the Governor-General to-night, Lord Jellicoe said that he was placed in rather a difficult position, because it was not quite proper for the Governor-General of the dominion to express views on matters under the consideration of tile Government. One of the subjects which was under consideration by the New Zealand Government and the Ho me Government, and which would shortly come before ths Imperial Conference, was that of the naval strength of the Empire. Lord Jellicoe went on to say : “All I hope is that the Empire will realise in the future that unless its sea communications are secure in war they might as well shut up shop in the British Empire. The Navy Leagues of the British Empire must endeavour to get into the heads of the young people that the whole safety of the Empire lies in its sea communications. It is quite Impossible for the Empire to exist without that safety. You see arguments,in the press as to whether the capital ship is dead; whether submarines and aircraft are going to knock out the surface ship Whatever happens your sea communications have got to be secured, and your sea communications, it is just as well to remember, for a great many years to come are bound to be carried on by ships that float upon the sea. The method by which these ships have to bo defended is one for consideration by experts. I have my own ideas on the subject, but it is not for me to state them in the position I now occupy. But whatever the method of defence is, it has to be one which will combat any menace with which ft is likely to be brought into contact. If see any nation building big capital shins or big capital cruisers, and think, it will occur to you tbat it is difficult to combat a menace of that sort unless you have vessels of the same class to tackle it with.