EMPIRE DEFENCES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1931, Page 7

EMPIRE DEFENCES

IMPORTANCE OF NAVY. PROTECTION OF COMMERCE. The opinion that the objects of th? Navy League are antagonistic to the stabilisation of peace was contradicted by Mr. A. G. Lunn, the president of th? Auckland branch of the league, in his address at the annual meeting. “I feel sure none of our members entertains this erroneous view,” said Mr. Lunn. “I assert emphatically that there has never previously been known any organisation so conducive to the peace of the world as the, British Navy during the years of its. supremacy. The desire of our nation for peace has been examplified in the steps taken at the conferences for the reduction of capital ships, cruisers and other naval vessels. It is quite evident that we have set an example in scrapping vessels and in the reduction of tonnage, but. this friendly and confident attitude in regard to future peace has not been followed by any other nation.”

The final result, Mr. Lunn observed, was that Britain had reduced its naval strength to such an extent that, in the event of war, it was undeniable that there would not be sufficient cruisers to afford the protection that was essential. In view of .keeping that important fact before the Governments of the Empire, he stressed, on behalf of the Navy League, that it was necessary more than ever to support the attitude of the leagues in Britain, and to make every effort to increase membership. Commander E. commanding officer of H.M.S. Philomel, who was the guest of the evening, also .emphasised how the safety of the British Empire depended on the efficiency of the Navy. The numbers of officers and men in the force were now about the same as in 1895, and it should be obvious to everyone that Britain Could not afford to be inadequately protected. Commander Berthon said it was a positive danger to trust in & reduced service which must lose efficiency. At one time during the Great War there were food supplies for only a fortnight in Great Britain, and, had it not been for the efficiency of the Navy, the consequences would have been disastrous. That occurrence emphasised the dependence of the Empire on the proficiency of a navy which' could safeguard all British possessions. “If the Navy gels below a certain figure, it is highly dangerous,” the commander added. “We have , the Empire for a purpose, and we must protect it.” In the annual report, the president said the league should fight against the apathy in regard to Empire deferices. Tiie league should not be blinded by the efforts of social reformers who seemed to relv more and more on the Governrnent to provide the service which was formerly the result of private endeavour supported by a spirit of sturdy independence. Britain differed from other nations by reason of the far-flung nature ‘of the Empire and the length of trade routes which required every protection. Another urgent question was the provision of an adequate naval base in the Pacific, for which purpose the base at Singapore was started. The Navy League had brought so much pressure to bear that Dominion delegates had advanced the question at the Imperial Conference with the result that the completion of the Singapore base had been promised.