THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 13, 1941.
CHINA MAIL
-WINDSOR HOUSE
AT GIBRALTAR
While the rumble of coming battle grows loud- er in the Eastern Mediter- ranean a strange quiet hovers over the Western gateway. There is a great deal of talk about Gibral- tar, but little news of any kind from the fortress it- self, standing calm above! the almost empty straits with ears and guns cock- ed for the threatened at- tack. In this suspense, special interest attaches to a brief dispatch an- nouncing that Viscount Gort, now commander of the British garrison on the Rock, paid an official visit to General Munoz Grande, Spanish military governor of Algeciras. In- terest is heightened by the statement that the visit will be returned "late this month," an intima.. tion that no immediate break is expected in Anglo-Spanish relations.
We can be sure that the British general did not cross the line to discuss' the weather with the Spanish general. It is not by accident that the visit
ROBIN MOOR
THE CHALLENGE AND THE ANSWER.
Canada's Navy
coincides with the change in it weren't for the Royal these are seven over-age destroy- and ΠΟ more comfortable than in the attitude of Vichy Canadian Navy, it might be a ers contributed by the U.S.A. and that of the soldiers in the trenches and shifts in the Franco Hitler's
simple matter for one of Adolf several vessels which have been in 1914-18.
pocket battleships to converted into armed merchant The Navy's third duty, the minister said, was to serve in government seeming- blaze away at Newfoundland and cruisers.
Halifux and then proceed leisure- The Navy, however, has no Europe, adding that there were ly aimed at curbing the ly up the Gulf of St. Lawrence, battleships or cruisers and needs 3,500 Canadian sailors in foreign
of
Its If the latter badly. power the Spanish loosing broadsides as it went.
As for Hitler's pocket destroyers waters. the British navy were to suc- have a displacement of 1,375 tons battleships, they were constantly Fascists, the Falange. cumb, the situation would be and it has no fighting ships com- darting in and out and he wished General Franco has been far more desperate-a (act which parable to Australia's "Canberra" they'd stay put once.
has been gravely considered by with a displacement of 10,000 "They're your real hit-and-run stalling ever since the war the U.S.A. Canada Joint Defence tons and an armament topped by artists,"
Adm. Nelles observed started. He has made it Commission. Thus the two eight 8-inch guns. The U.S. navy dryly.
Nearly $30,000,000 was spent for quite clear that Gibraltar nations on either side of the border has a number of 7,000-ton cruisers
have powerful reasons for argu- of the Omaha class which are new ships for the Navy last year and uncertain gains in ing that Canada's Navy be nearly as old as the over-age and the sum budgeted this year
6-is $56,000,000. The programme o.) Africa are not worth the developed with all possible speed, destroyers. These mount 10 A good start has been made.
Three of them would building scheduled will be finish- grave risk of opening hun- Canada's Navy was thoroughly be of tremendous help to the ed this year, the Naval Minister the said, udding that it had been "a gry and divided Spain to starved in the 20 years that tol- Canadian Navy in guarding
magnificent piece of work." New invading armies. Even Disarmament was in the air; for-
construction consists principally of corvettes, patrol boats and Hitler appears hesitant ever there was to be peace. Then
minesweepers.
lowed the Armistice of 1918.
the came
to march into the Spanish which made an end hornets' nest; the latest appropriations.
commission-six destroyers, a motor vessel and a training
Inch guns.
me
By George H. Lyon
ä
economic collapse
of naval
Thanks to a policy rigidly ad- So when war
hered to for many years, Cana- was declared in September, 1939,
dian navy officers have been indications are that the the Dominion had only 13 vessels
trained in the world's best naval drive on Gibraltar may be in
schools, such as Greenwich and Dartmouth and aboard the Bri- launched from the schooner. There were 130 officers
tish Royal Navy. Thus, while the African instead of the and 1,600 men in active service sea lanes in the western Atlantic permanent force was small it was
and 2,000
officers and ratings in and even one would add great prepared in 1939 to train officers! European side.
the reserves.
strength. Until Canada has such newly acquired from the Naval Even
New cruisers, her conflict
coastal
recruits So the
towns al Reserve.
goti Need Cruisers Badly
ways will be in danger.
their training at Stadacona, moves closer and closer to
The Navy's greatest problem, naval establishment on the east about 200 the doors of Spain. If To-day, there are
however, is training of adequate Canadian coast, or at Nadon on. ships in commission and per personnel. This was explained to the west coast. The bulk of the Spanish territory is not sonnel has jumped to 2,000 officers
one morning at Navy enlisted men came from a volun- used for a passageway, and 15,000 men.
headquarters by Hon. Angus teer reserve, which recruits them The new vessels include cor- L. MacDonald, Minister of from all walks of life. the decisions being made vettes (baby destroyers), of which National Defence for Naval in France put right up to about 50 have been launched in Services. and Rear Adm. Four Ships Lost
Canadian shipyards, motor tor P. W. Nelles, his chief of staff. the Spaniards the ques- pedo boats, minesweepers and Mr. MacDonald, a Scotch lawyer tion of full adherence to anti-submarine
equipped and ex-Premier of Nova Scotia, the "new European or for detecting U-boats and drop- who likes to sing Lover's Lament, stations and then can be drafted: ping depth charges. Added to bears wounds of the last war. der." The showdown is so
Adm. Nelles, likewise a near, in fact, that the ex-wer to Germany must be ner who knew where to lay his
of 1914, is the long range plan changes between Gibral-influenced by the answer hands on every
No story of the Canadian Navy tar and Algeciras must of Petain. Every move in after in Canada when war was would be complete without tri-
declared. These two men said have a definite bearing on this struggle affects the that building ships was nothing which sweeps for mines, or lays. bute to the Fisherman's Reserve, the situation. Assuming next; but time is gained at sonnel.
as compared with building per-
depth charges in the sharp, that the British are not the expense of Hitler. If
lengthy flords of the Pacific coast. "It takes five to six years for Their decks once were covered offering Gibraltar to the British are able to a man to become a lieutenant," with fish scales, but now their Spain for help in defend- work on Spanish senti- eight more to become a lieutenant they fly the ensign and the skip- Mr. MacDonald.. "Then sides are fresh with grey paint,
ing the position, it is clear ment and Spanish neces- commander. He doesn't pull per wears a smart white-topped or naval cap. The Fisherman's Re-
craft
said
veteran
crack rescrve
They train at 19 land service establishments, then go through practical training at the coast
for active service. The Navy also
set of examinations and a three- accepts some cadets after a rigid month probationary course.
that some strong argu- sity to stave off the final much weight for five years
get command of a ship of any serve knows every Japanese fish-
ments are holding Franco surrender, there is always consequence.
So it takes 12 to ing craft that ever tied up at a
back from joining the the chance of a turn in 15 years to produce a real officer. Pacific whart.
In the army you can turn out "The dignity of Canada,
French in a policy of full the course of events. a pretty good officer in a year." Minister MacDonald, "demands collaboration with Ger- That odd chance is better Navy's Immediate tasic had been sufficient to meet the obligation Mr. MacDonald said that the that she should have a navy
many.
than usual in a war to patrol and guard Canada's which rests upon us in associa Nevertheless Spain in fought, as this one is, in coastline and that next to this tion with the United States for came the convoy (work Destroyers the joint defence at the North, Africa as well as Spain in the realms of the unex- have been out on the ion Atlante American continent."*"
If I know Canadians,In Europe is linked to pected, the untested, even this past winter as long as 25
days in a month and the life of they w France. Franco's ans- the impossible.
their crews has bett legs secur Navy,