Page
Britain's
THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 28, 1989.
Growing
M
Might
"Surprise For Any Aggressor" Lord Chatfield
Photo taken after the wedding at St. Andrew's yesterday, of Mr. A. S. ("Sonny") Bliss and Miss Phyllis Gittins.
Britain's Army Balance
Sheet
Minister On A "Tragic Mistake"
Two Cabinet Ministers, Mr. Stanley, President of the Board of Trade and Lord Chatfield Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, referred in speeches to the measures taken by Britain to be ready in the event of war.
They were speaking at the annual dinner of the Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom at · Grosvenor House. The Duke of Kent was present. Lord Chatfield, making his first after-dinner speech as a Minister, said: "The pessimist in peace is too apt to be the defeatist if we get into trouble.
"We live in a time when unfor- "What a terribly tragic mistake. tunately politics are dominated by If the call comes we shall answer force, and, if we wish to have an-it, not with the shouts and the effective and efficient foreign policy, clamour of any facile mob, easily it is essential that our fighting roused and easily dissolved, but services be as strong as we know with conviction and hope and anger them to be courageous.
which will last through to the end."
FUTURE OF SHIPPING
The Duke of Kent said that while
"An attempt to dominate Europe is less likely if there are forces ris- ing to oppose it which might make it less likely of success. There-the seaman had never lacked some- fore, the growing might of Britain may play a not unimportant part in ensuring that force shall not threaten the independence of any European State.”
body to sing his glories and sym- pathise with his troubles, the ship- owner had rarely attracted the en- thusiasm or sympathy of the poet. But if hard facts had driven off the poet they had never deterred the
PROTECTING TRADE ROUTES Outlining the steps taken to en-shipowner. sure Britain's trade routes in war time Lord Chatfeld said:
"We have organised a convoy systém ready to operate at any moment;
"To-day the shipping industry is having to face facts which at first sight seem to present obstacles of almost insurmountable magnitude,” said the Duke. "I say "at first sight' because I am convinced that they are obstacles which the British shipping industry will surmount triumphantly.
that the in- "I believe
derived some measure
"We have ready a very large number of guns to arm merchant ships in wartime, and we have stiffened hundreds to take them: "We have trained 9,000 officers of the merchantile marine in the dustry duties which will fall to them in of confidence in the future of Bri- time of war and we have started tish shipping from the Govern- ment's invitation to them to put for- to train seamen,” Referring to the dangers which ward proposals for assistance, and would have to be met, Lord Chat-from the success of their efforts to
·fleld 'said we had already found the formulate, for the Government's measure of submarines, but not un-consideration, proposals which had til a war came should we be able to the support of the whole industry.
"I feel that this confidence has if out measures, against the The Secretary for War, Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha, tell
danger from the air were: adequate. received a great stimulus from Mr. concluding the House of Commons debate yes- we have a surprise for those who Stanley's announcement."
think to inflict a vital blow to our terday, gave the military balance sheet.
London, To-day.
The actual number in the Regular Army, he said, was 204,000 compared with an establishment
of 224,000,
The Territorial Army 167,000 compared with an
establishment of 325,000, and
The anti-aircraft army 80,000, compared with an
establishment of 96,000.
Recruits came in during April at the rate of 2,000
a day.
The number of men engaged ac-[Army,
tually under the new scheme would "It will be possible, under the mean that approximately the scheme to advance or retard the strength of the Regular Army would age in cases in which a man'a cur- be trained..
ricula would be hampered. That
No voluntary scheme on a part-will cover the apprentice student. time basis could secure a rapid an aceration of, trained strength.
Voluntary recruiting for the Ter- ritorial, Army would be in no way
odified..
arteries in war," he added.
"TERRIBLY TRAGIC MISTAKE”
A warning to any who should re- peat the challenge to the peace of the world of 20 years ago was given by Mr. Stanley,
Discussing the details of the Government's proposals for sub- aldising merchant shipping, he said these were designed to be both
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economic and strategie. They con- Fleet
stitute ah emergency programme.
These, he said, were dark days. Britain had believed after the war that everybody had learned the les- son that she bad.
"It seems we tinued Mr. Stanley; only 20 ya MINISTRY OF SUPPLY- The only, other obligation. fdr some
80 drillsson, those called up will be 8 and two or three weeks in damm, wa for three and a half years. It is. NECESSITY the fairest system
de- ecassity for vised.
Supply
Ministry of to secure prior described as
con-
that
Passing
Panama
Panama, To-day.
THE United States Fleet which is return-
has be into the