THE ROYAL NAVY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 45, 22 February 1936, Page 8

THE ROYAL NAVY

IMPORTANCE STRESSED A PEACE MACHINE THE EMPIRE'S NEEDS REVIEW BY VICE-ADMIRAL HARPER -fl a comprehensive review of »he needs of the British Navy and the EmP‘re, Vice-Admiral J. K T. Harper, -8., M.\ .0. i n an address delivered at the Elrick Lounge yesterday morning, stated that public opinion had ben misled for the past 15 years into the belief that the way to peace lav in the limitation of armaments. This‘was not so. The Navy was primarily a peace machine, the main function*of which was the preservation of the Empire’-; highways. Admiral Harper was astened to attentively by a large audience. The meeting was convened bv the Manganui Chamber of Commerce. Air. E. Al. Silk presided. The Navy had never been used as an instrument of aggression, but was vital for defence purposes, Admiral Harper declared. The protection of the Empire was not consummated by protecting coastlines; it was protecting th ? arteries that connected the units to the heart that needed protection. Alaintenance of strength was equally important in the Aferchant Service r-.n--tended Admiral Harper. Empire’s Three Defence Arms. Each of the Empire's three defence arms were necessary and should be built up, but augmenting them should not be precipitate, as the danger of fostering one more than the others would bo run. A ice-Admiral Harper said that 80 per cent, of the foodstuffs consumed in the United Kingdom had to be brought a great distance by sea and any cessation of that supply would mean starvation. Similarly, Great Britain depended on the entire supply of her raw r materials on overseas countries and without these supplies thee would be bankruptcy. New Zealand although it was not dependent on ir.. ports for its essential food supply, relied on the exports of its produce for four-fifths nf its prosperity and depended greatly on safe transport. Th<* sea was our life and sea power was necessary for our existence. The ver ■ foundation of our sea power was our mercantile marine, hut without a Naw this could not exist. One was dependent on the other, both in time, of peace and war. Without a Navy, for the protecli h of the ocean highways, people would find that freights and insurance rates would increase enormously at the first suggestion of war, for the Naw meant security for our merchantmen. The British Navy was the greatcsi peace machine in the world, the \ i(c Admiral added. Importance of British Navy. The importance placed on the BritMi Navy by foreign Powers was exonwi: fied in several ways, continued the speaker. During the general strike of 1926 there was no appreciable drop in the value of sterling in foreign cou;.tries, but when there was a rumour of mutiny in the Navy, Britain’: credit was immediately affected. Br’.l ain’s representatives at Geneva had lost a great deal of prestige, he said, because Britain did not possess the naval power Afany people were apt to favour throwing away the nation’s latch key by reducing naval strength, but they were not going to do away with war by doing this, any more than they would do away w-ih burglary by throwing away their own latch keys. Britain was the only mar; lime Power that, had reduced its naval defence forces in the last 15 years, sai l the Admiral. According to existing treaties. Britain should have 15 capital ship at the end of 1936, but at the end of the year she would have only thre? that, were not over age. Allowed 49 cruisers by treat v, sn»’ would have only 35 that were rot over age at the end of the year. Sim ilarly she would have only 71 de stroyers that were not over age. Was it right, he asked, that Britain should have to preserve her security and prestige with a machine that was so worn out? The Admiral quoted a French naval calculation which had based the proper naval strength of the five leading Powers as follows:—ltaly J, France Japan 3, U.S.A. 4A, and England In. This meant that in French eyes Brit ain’s Navy should be equal in strength to the combined forces of the othc” nations. It might, be said that half a loaf was better than no bread, bill, added the speaker, half a navy meant no bread at all. Protecting the Seas. Jn speaking of defence, it was necessary to think of Empire defence, for it would mean the death of the Empire if our ocean highways were severed. Invasion of the Empire could not occur if the seas were protected. It was useless saying that the days of the Navy were over because of the <:< • velopment of air forces. If this were so, why was it that all European Powers were increasing their navies? As far as the defence of New Zealan J was concerned, if an attack by air was to take place the ’planes and bombs would have to be brought first by carriers. If we kept control of the seas this could not possibly happen. Every war in which the British Empire took part would always be deci led on the sea. The Army and the Air Foree always had the worst part of a war, nut w th out a Navy they would be powerless. This was not meant to be derogatory t either force, added the speaker, but .'t had to be admitted that both the Army and Air Force depended on the Navy —the Army for the transport of men and supplies, and lhe Air Force fjr its supplies of fuel. The Navy, aided by its air arm, protected the high seas, while the Army and Air Force protected trade when it reached port. All the three defence forces were necessary. It was nn us protecting England against air invasion if the food supplies were left at the mercy c-f the enemy. Preserving Peace. “On sea and land and in the fllr we arc weaker than we were in 1914, and we are no less liable to attack than w? were in 1914,” continued the Admiral.