NAVAL DEFENCE

Southland Times, Issue 18623, 22 August 1919, Page 4

NAVAL DEFENCE

LORD JELLICOE’S VIEWS. DOMINIONS MUST HELP THE MOTHER COUNTRY. (Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON, August 21. The members of the Government entertained at luncheon at Bellamy's to-day Admiral Jellicoe and the officers of his staff and of the ship’s company of the JJew Zealand. Mr Massey, in proposing the toast of The Navy said that Lord Jellicoe’s visit was an indication that the Imperial authorities recognised the necessity for adequate naval protection in Australia and New Zealand. The subject of naval defence had for years been contemplated with intense anxiety. He agreed with the opinion expressed by many that from the point of view of the British Empire, the Pacific would be the storm centre of the future. If they failed to profit by the lessons of the war, then they would deserve everything that might happen. The citizens of New Zealand owed a deep debt of gratitude to the British Navy for the protection given during the years of the war. New Zealand’s existence would always depend on naval supremacy.

Lord Jellicoe, after referring to the gift of the battle-cruiser. New Zealand and the position of navy matters when the war broke out, said that he could well remember in the early days of the unrestricted submarine campaigning by the Germans, how Mr Massey had drawn his attention to the loss of the fine New Zealand ship Rotorua and he had to assure Mr Massey, as he had to tell other people at the time, that he had not the destroyers to send to protect these vessels. The only thing that enabled the Admiralty to adopt the convoy system had been the assistance of the American navy in giving their whole destroyer forces. One lesson to be learned was to be prepared. He hoped the League of Nations would be able to reduce the chances of war, but the British Navy was the only safeguard of Britain and the Empire. He hoped it would not be reduced. The burden had become too great for the Motherland to shoulder by herself and he felt the mission on which he was at present engaged was of very real importance. He hoped that it might be possible to produce a scheme which would be favourably considered by the great overseas- dominions and that as a result assistance would be forthcoming from the dominions so that the dependencies would not have to depend entirely on the British Navy for security. He felt that the problem out here from the shores of Africa to the shores of America was one problem and all portions of the British Empire within those boundaries were alike interested in the security of the sea communication. He hoped that they would be able to devise a scheme which would not only affect the dominions, but also the Motherland, a scheme which, if adopted, would bring more adequate security for the sea communication ot the Empire in these waters.