OIL FOR THE NAVY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 114, 19 June 1914, Page 7

OIL FOR THE NAVY.

THE ANGLO-PERSIAN DEAL. RATIFIED BY THE COMMONS.* By Association. — Copyright. ' -■'' < LONDON/June ISI Mr Churchill said that Trinidad and \ Egypt '■were' unable to meet the Navy-'s demands for oil, and it would be many years before Scottish shale' production j was sufficient. 'When, he went to the-. Admiralty, oil approximately cost; the j same as eoaf, 1 'bat prices 'had since I almost doubled/ owing to artificial in-", flation. The Admiralty did not intend to rely on Persian oil in case of emergency. Only half the supply would be .taken from Persia. The oil would be brought by the Cape route, which could easily be defended, to save Suez Canal j dues. The cost of the investment would be niet with £1,500,000 diverted from, the old sinking fund of 1012, and. £750,000 diverted from the sinking fundi. Of 1913; /;: :'";': : -' Sir, Edward' -Grey, replying eisms, 'said the oil properties were situ-' ated iii a neiitral zone, outside the'area of settled' control.. In the worst' e'o»'-' tingc'ncy 1 two British brigades would' be sufficient ito "protect the 150 'mile's of pipe lines to the? coast; • It would be betted if ft Persijin. force under British 1 officialS'were'used than detachmehts v of' the Indian' Army. • Moreover, the ha-' tives . would 'be\ pecuniarily interested themseTve* : sn ; protecting the' pipes. ; f ! ( Mr ■ E. : Gv \Pretyman cordially sup-j ported, the scheme. j Mr Churchill pointed out ". that "Mr | Pr'etyman 'suggested a similar policy;! eleven years ago. . Mi" Ramsay Mat-Donald supported the motion} and hoped that.the Government would give the Oil Trust no mercy. • The motion to grant £2,000,000 from the Consolidated Fund 'was adopted by 254 votes 'to 18.' ■"" ' ; "■ ' ; ♦ ♦IMPETUOUS'•' AND CARELESS.' * PRO 3 ECT ADVERSELY 1 CRITICISED' • i'. !u.' ■■■■ ■■'■ ; ■.•'•'' ■. ■• . '■ '*'•.;,: "Twice"' and"Sydney Sun" Services. , (Received June 19, 8 .a.m.) , ( ':'.".','''..'"', 1 . ! '7 LONDON, JuuelS.,. .''The Times," in a leader on ; .the, Anglp-Persian,(Oil deal, says:-r : ~ .... : . 'I We want : the navy to have oil but, we do ,not want to run the: risk of fresh 0 in the Middle East.: We will be much surprised if .< t Britain has no reason to regret this , impetuous and careless undertake