CHANGES IN NAVAL POLICY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20441, 11 June 1936, Page 9

CHANGES IN NAVAL POLICY

INFLUENCED BY AERIAL PROGRESS IMPERIAL CONFERENCE URGED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received June 10, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, June 10. The naval correspondent of ' “The Daily Telegraph” says: Though there is no question of Britain ever totally abandoning the Mediterranean, the spokesman for all three Services is strongly urging that a definite decision regarding Britain's future policy in the Mediterranean should be taken without delay, for which the early summoning of an Imperial Conference on Defence is suggested, since the matter cannot be settled without consulting the Dominions. It is not correct that the Government is planning a big naval base at Cyprus, which is flanked by non-British territory. Moreover, naval experts argue that, with the development of aviation, Cyprus will soon become as vulnerable as Malta, whose future is still undecided. The question of Capetown, as a. possible base for the British Battle Fleet, is already receiving official consideration. The correspondent adds: It is not generally known that, since August, a considerable portion of the traffic which normally passed through the Suez Canal, has been diverted to the Cape route, enabling the naval and shipping authorities to gain valuable experience, especially regarding bunkering and port facilities needed if the whole of the Eastern traffic had in certain contingencies to be diverted via the Cape.