BRITISH NAVY

Timaru Herald, Issue 170307, 31 August 1920, Page 7

BRITISH NAVY

AS IMPORTANT AS EVER. ADMIRAL BEATTY'S VIEW. By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.fc. Cable Assn. XRW YORK Aug. 28. Admiral Beatty. in the course of an prtielo published in the New York •'Sun" says:— "'lt is well to utter a -word of warning lost, in the reaction after the great war St rani', we believe that such dangers as were successfully surmounted are not likely to recur in- the near future, or 'f they recur that they will he surmounted in the old fashion. The position of the British Empire to-day ]■) incomparably more important than ifc was before the war We must be prepared not only to defend ourselves from, external aggression, .but also to assist our fiiends in less fortunate circumstances, for ourselves the Roval Navy suffices, and historv justifies'its upkeep on « scale commensurate with the Empire's position in the council of nations, and to those who advocate a further reduction bevond the present bare minimum, 1 would repeat .the fable of the fox who saw the boar sharpening his teeth after winning n battle. Jhe boar would explain that he must keep his tusks sharp. We cannot afford to let our tusks set blunt. We are a menace to nobody. Our navy is the policeman of the searoads which connect the Empire abroad with the heart of the Empire. The Navv today has in commission a reserve minimum compatible with the safety of the Empire, and there is not a man or woman in the Empire who would require uk to reduce our forces 'oelow the standard that is estimated to be safe. Our policy a s regards construction has been to investigate all problems of war, co-ordinate them, and improve our scientific methods and all technical requirements of the great service. so that when the time comes, as it must, for us to put these lessons to useful purpose, they will be applied with wisdom and understanding."