NAVY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 17

NAVY LEAGUE.

THE OTAGO BRANCH. ANNUAL MEETING HELD. ' The twenty-second annual meeting of the Otago branch of the Navy League was held in the Council Chambers on the afternoon of July, the Deputy Mayor (Mr W. B. Taverner) presiding. In declaring the proceedings open Mr Taverner said that he wished to congratulate the league on its continued activity and the most important work it had been doing throughout the province. He wished to stress particularly the good that must inevitably result from the league’s annual essay writing competition. This competition was undoubtedly of immense value from an educational, as well as a patriotic point of view, and it was an excellent thing that the rising veneration should be brought to study the history of the Empire in this fashion. Continuing, the speaker said that he thought that New Zealond had made a very good start with her navy, but at the same time he was glad to see that the matter of a third oruiser had no’fc been forgotten. It had been pointed out that a sum of £300,000 would be necessary to construct such a cruiser, but the lion. F. J. Rolleston, Minister of Defence, had stated in June last that the actual expenditure would be approximately £225,000. This, the speaker maintained, was a very necessary expendi ture, and he looked to the Navy League to do its best to keep those in authority up to the mark. It was only right that New Zealand should put its house in order, and in view of the future of the Pacific in naval matters, it behoved them to do what they could to assist the Government in its naval policy. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sneet the President of the branch, Mr _J. J. Clark, touched first on the work which was being done by the league in the schools. It was most gratifying, he said, to find that 5233 scholars had written essays during the year. It would undoubtedly have a fine influence on the citizens of the future to acquire early a knowledge of the wonderful story of the British Navy and its enormously beneficial influence on the history of the world. Such keen interest as had been displayed by the scholars would not have been possible without the cordial co-operation of the educational authorities in Otago, and they gladly paid their tribute of warm appreciation to them. * OUR NAVAL VISITORS.' The city had been favoured during the past year by visits from several visiting warships as well as from their own ships, the Dunedin and Diomede, and all that could be done by the league to make the stay of the officers and men pleasant was done, and it was pleasing to report the receipt of letters expressing the gratitude of the naval visitors for the kindness received. It was interesting to note, also, that the New South Wales Navy League had written to tell them that the whole personnel of H.M.A.S. Sydney had gone back wih most glowing reports of the specially generous kindness received from the Navy League members in Dunedin. It was well to emphasise the fact that not one penny of their funds had been spent in entertaining. NECESSITY OF THE LEAGUE. It was sometimes asked if there was now any real need for the British Navy or a Navy League. Did not the League of Nations, the Washington Agreement and the Locarno Pact do away with the necessity of keeping the navy up to its former high standard of strength and efficiency? In spite of all these the thoughtful person who closely followed international politics was forced to the conclusion that the greatest factor in the maintenance of the Empire and a world peace was still the British Navy. They all abhorred war with its awful tragedy - and ghastly results and gladly welcomed the League of Nations with its lofty ideals and high purposes. It would be a wonderful and splendid day when the disputes of nations were settled by arbitration and not by clash of arms. But, the speaker contended, the greatest factor in bringing about this consummation was to be found in a strong and capable British Navy imbued with its heroic traditions, and without its strong support any league would be comparatively in. potent.

They detested crime and were striving by every means in their power to educate the people to refrain from injuring their fellows and “to do unto others as they would be done by,” but who would dare t,Q suggest the abolition of their police force. . Tt was recognised that the forces of justice were the strongest deterrent crime. The navy existed not for the purpose of war but protection—defence, not defiance—and it was to it they must look for the protection of Britain and the peace of the world. And so the Navy maintained the sentiment that it was sea power that made the Empire, kept it great, and made it the greatest peace influence in the world. The navy was their guarantee of peace and their hope of victory if war came, and without the command of the seas Britain would He doomed and eoonomic ruin would face them. The protection of their trade routes was vital, not only for the Motherland that depended on produce from overseas for the necessities of life,, but also for the Dominion, whose economic existence depended on free access to the world’s markets for its produce. NAVAL SUPREMACY WANING. The returns just published of the world’s fleets, continued the speaker, must have given them all feelings of apprehension, for it was evident that Britain ruled the waves no longer. The reductions in number and power that had been going on In the navy had so depleted it that they were now almost in the position of a secondclass naval power. Gone . was the twopower standard that was always the aim of the Empire. The United States of America was considerably stronger In destroyers and submarines, while Japan was building at such an extraordinarily rapid rate that she bade fair to leave Britain far behind. The practical effect of the Washington Conference had been Infinitesimal. So much so, that the Powers represented at that famous conference had fpent since its close no less than the almost unthinkable sum of £300,000,000. The conference limited the sis# of the naval

ships, but not the number, with the result that the number of smaller and more deadly boats had enormouslyy increased. These fast, heavily armed boats were more effective for offence than defence, and for destroying the commerce upon which they depended. Britain's reduction in naval strength was due partly to the honest way in which she had carried out the limitation of armaments arranged at the Washington Conference, and partly by the national aftermath of financial stress caused by the Empire’s marvellous war effort. Whatever might be the cause, they were faced with the fact that their sea supremacy was fast going, and Britain would no longer be mistress of the seas. The most casual observer could not help but admit that the Empire in the Pacific could only be maintained by the power of the navy, said Mr Clark. Till recently the whole cost of their protection was, without a murmur, borne by the Mother Country, but now with the full nationhood of the lands under the Southern Cross they had taken up a small share of the burden, but the time was fast coming when they should willingly take their full share in the protection of their land. In conclusion, Mr Clark appealed to all patriotic citizens wlio desired to maintain peace and to preserve their Empire strong and free to join up with the Navy League and assist to keep their “strtffig shield” adequate for national safety. Their heritage was sea power, and the sea had made their Empire strong and prosperous. Mrs W. F. Edmond seconded the adoption of the report and balance sheet, and the motion was carried without discussion. ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS. On the motion of Mr J, Waddell Smith, seconded by Mr C. M. Gilray, Mr J. J. Clark (the retiring president) was reelected. The following were also reelected: —Vice-presidents—Messrs P. R. Sargood, P. Barr, J. Waddell Smith,. H. L. Tapley, C.M.G., M.P., hon. treasurer, Mr W. F. Edmond; committee —Messrs Jas. Begg, R. S. Black, W. A. Flavell, T. R. Fleming, P. Goyen, Garth Gallaway, Neil Galbraith, J. A. Johnstone, W. A. Moore, W. J. Morrell, J. Sutherland Ross. C.M.G., the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, and Captain E. F. Watson.

“ OUR ONLY LINE OF DEFENCE/'

ADDRESS BY MR BARROWCLOUGH.

That the League of Nations was not adequate to preserve the peace of the world was the sentiment expressed by Mr H. E. Barrowclough, in an address to the meet ing. He arg-ued that it had done good work in removing some of the causes of war, but that it would fail in any great war to come, for the simple reason that any Power contemplating hostilities would not consult the League of Nations first. The only real national protection, therefore, was a fully-equipped navy in a state of mobilisation and preparation. He went on to speak of the work that was being done by the Navy League. That New Zealand was doing great work was unquestionable he laid, and there was no doubt that its most effective activities were in the schools, in making the Toraing generation realise the glorious traditions of the Navy, and that they could not maintain that tradition unless they gave the Navy their support. “Remember what- Kipling said about Tommy Atkins,” added Mr Barrowclough. ‘ln time of peace no cne has any use ‘.or him but as soon as war breaks out ho is one of the ‘thin red line of ’eroes.’ The same may be applied to the navy. During times of peace the people have little enough time in spending money for the maintenance of such a costly thing, and then there are others who look upon the navy with rank hostility. Even in the war we found many ardent and fervent ‘peace cranks’—you can’t call them anything else. There was an example in America. President Wilson was a great man, fyut he was so obsessed with peace that, he could not see that the only way to secure everlasting peace was through war. “We have in a more or less degree, the same ciass of people in New Zealand. They feel that any preparation for, or contemplation of war, is morally wrong. That is what we are up against. It must be remembered that tne British Navy is not only our first line of defence, but it also is our only line. Since the days of William the Conqueror there has been no such thing as British defence in British territory. All our wars have been fought off our territory.” The speaker explained that the object of a defence was to gain time to prepare for an attack, and that was what the navy was for. It had to protect commerce, supplies, and'to convoy troops to gain time to deliver the offensive blow. Because of that they had to do their best to maintain it. “You can havu an army on a peace footing,” he said, “hut not a navy. 4* must be always mobilised.” Speaking of the League of Nations Mr Barrowclough said that he thought it would do a great deal of good in cutting out some of the causes of war, but when it came to the real war, the world wa», the nation taking the initiative would not go to the League of Nations. The Powers that were going to do wrong would move with lightning speed. When a power became so obsessed with its own importance it knew perfectly well that no League of Nations w'ould give its permission to act. There would be an instant declaration of war not even that, but an immediate act of war. For that reason they had to fall back on the British Navy or possibly the navies—those of Britain and America. You are depending on a broken reed in the League of Nations.” he said. “It U not adequate—not sufficient. I am not belittling it, for it does do good work, and will still do good work in removing some of the causes of war.” Mr Barrowclough dealt further with the need of keping the navy in a state of preparation. “Tt must have been very satisfactory to that gathering in No. 10 Downing street, on August 4, 1914, to know that the navy was ready. Mr Churchill had seen Sir Edward Grey, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and had suggested that, considering the unsettled ood* ditions that were prevailing, the navy should be kept on a war footing. Sir Edward had agreed, and on that night, August 4, 1914, when they were waiting (or the message that they knew would not come, Mr Churchill knew that at midnight he had only to say the one word, “Action,” and the fleet was steaming ahead. “A~wrongdoer never goM to the Aribtraiion Court first/’ he laip, “The

League of Nations has killed itself in •ueh circumstances. It is powerless to act.” The personnel of the Navy was one of those things, the speaker argued, that should call for their personal attention. They,_ as English, had a genius for the sea. It vans the heritage of their forefathers and even if another nation had a lavy oi greater numerical strength, they were well able to hold their own. The English navy had never fought against equal odds. It had always had greater odds against it. “I believe it would be a good thing,” he said, “if it were oompulsory for every young man in New Zealand to be able to take ft boat out in a rough sea and handle it. We ought to have more and we ought to encourage sailing of small ships by young men.” Mr Barrowclough contended also that they should pay the same amount per capita as the Englishman did for the upkeep of the navy. “Until we do that.” he added, “we are not doing our duty. We are not patriots. When our purse is attacked we are a stringy lot. Just now we are training in New Zealand a paltry percentage of men, and when war breaks out these will be sent abroad and killed while we. are gathering our strength.” The speaker concluded by saying that they oould help the navy to a certain extent by cutting out some of the “gold lace,” of which there was too much. Ceremony was a very fine thing, and it added dignity, but it could be overdone. The navy* was not going to depend on gold lace and a salute of guns when an Admiral called to maintain its prestige. After votes of thanks had been tendered to the retiring president, the ladies’ Committee, the City Council for the use of the Council Chambers and the press, the meeting concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.