FUEL FOR NAVY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19886, 14 March 1939, Page 5

FUEL FOR NAVY

NO. RETURN TO COAL DECISION OP ADMIRALTY ' . •"-■ ' ..; LONDON, March 2. A statement that the Admiralty had finally rejected the ■ proposals advanced by a group of distinguished retired admirals for many years, that coal should be substituted for oil as fuel for the Navy, was made by Earl Stanhope, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking on the Navy Estimates Lord Stanhope said that during the past year considerable time had been devoted to a detailed investigation of the claims advanced in favour of a return to coal-burning warships. This investigation had been conclusive that on the major counts—namely, weight, space requirements, and operation—a return to coal-burning would involve such handicaps as to be definitely unacceptable. The First Lord added that the production of naval guns was five times what it had been for 1935, and the production of control and director gear nine times that of 1935. He revealed that no fewer than four capital ships from a total of 15 were undergoing large repairs or refitting. Germany's Naval Policy. In an article in the Fortnightly Review, Mr. Frank Clements, a former naval officer, who has spent much time in Germany, says that Germany will not engage in a naval race with Britain. Whereas Britain has not begun to approach her maximum shipbuilding effort, Germany is near the limit of hers. The acute shortage of skilled labour in German dockyards and the vast armies of unskilled labour being drafted to shipyards, cannot hasten building.. He expresses the opinion that long hours, forced shifts, and not overgenerous wages, must in the long run unfavourably affect dockyard workers. Building of Submarines. "Increased shipbuilding," Mr. Clements continues, "will add to Germany's shortage of raw materials. Germany's aim is to avoid war against Britain . and, therefore, to avoid a direct conflict with England's interests. Therefore, she is building up the forces which most effectively threaten Britain, which exploit to the utmost Britain's desire for peace, and which give the German Fleet the greatest nuisance value. "This, more than anything else, has inspired the decision 'to build submarines to the limit of equality with Britain. Should Germany build up to the treaty limit, she would still be unable to offer a direct challenge to command of the sea. Her main weapon must again be submarines, now reinforced by shore-based aircraft." .