PLEA FOR N.Z. NAVY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19009, 9 May 1924, Page 5

PLEA FOR N.Z. NAVY

ADMIRAL FIELD'S VIEWS. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 8. I Admiral Field, in the course of all interview prior to his departure] made further reference io his •peed] at the Parliamentary luncheon uul April 28. He said that his reuiarkJ at the Government luncheon were intended to convey the opinion that, an the Home Govern men. had decided not to proceed with the Singapore base at present, it was no use New Zealand voting money for that purpose, but in the meantime he had endeavoured to emphasise the importance of making provision for the protection of trade routes in these waters by adding a •r.cond cruiser 1o the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy as soon as possible, thereby promoting and enhancing effi ciency by th‘e factor of competition and by the possibility of exchanging ships with the Imperial Navy. He suggested ultimately aiming at the maintenance of a squadron of three cruisers, as this was ihe hast number necessary for adequate protection of trade routes in time of trouble.

The idea in general was that each Dominion should keep up a sumcicut force to guard its trade routes, thereby ensuring a continuance of commerce in the face of commerce destroyers of the enemy, uno part of the Empire would link up with another, so as to safeguard the main seaways’ trade.

“I have been asked by various people to remark on numerous suggestions made, particularly in the Press, that the capital ship had be* n or shortly will bo superseded by the submarine and aeroplane, and that, therefore, it would b<- a waste of money to continue to build capital shins. I need not say I disagree with this view. if a naval Pow® decides to maintain submarines only the opposing Power could very eaelh and at small expense construct f. a number of high-speed shallow draught anti-submarine vessels, fill cd with the latest detecting apparatus and special effective weaponw against submarines. In this way it could practically limit the operation! of the submarines to a compara/ivel? innocuous range. The Power which trusted submarines would then be compelled to adopt a typo nf surface vessel larger and with greater offensive powers than its opponent possessed. This process could con'inur until thev again arrived a* the capital ship.” Regarding aeroplanes ho pointed out that those were mainlv effective in narrow seas, which left all other trade routes totally ■ unptotoo'-d from attack by commerce-destroying cruisers.