THE HONGKONG TELEGRAP4. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1935.
由
STRONGER NAVY FOR BRITAIN
AIR POWER ALONE NOT SUFFICIENT
EMPIRE SECURITY MUST BE ASSURED
BY ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET SIR ROGER KEYES
"THE Government Statement relating to Defence" has been violently assailed by the Socialist and Liberal Opposition and by a section of people in the country who honestly believe or for political purposes declare-that the disarmament of Great Britain, whatever any other nation may do, is the only way to bring about world peace,
During the Parliamentary debate on March 11 and the discussion on the Naval Estimates on March 14, the attitude of the Opposition clearly showed that they in- tend to try to make political capital out of the Governi- ment's wise and statesmanlike pronouncement and very modest contribution towards naval efficiency.
GUARDING THE SEAS
If their insidious propaganda, Under these circumstances the fallacics and mis-statements of Government had no choice but to fnet were to be met with a vigor-put British armaments in a condi- every truetion to safeguard us against ous counter-attack, British man and woman, and every potential dangers. friend of Great Britain in the world, would rally to the support of the Government, in opposition to the Internationalist policy of the Socialista. It was the So cialists who declared at the annual conference at Southport last year that they would introduce an Act of Parliament to hand over the security of the British Empire to the League of Nations.
I think the Government and their technical advisers, the three Chiefs of the Staff who work together in loyal co-operation- are to be congratulated on the wise and timely reminder of the func- tions of the Navy contained in Clause 4. These have been rather lost sight of by the general public
Let us examine this much-of late years. abused Walto Paper. Surely no
"If peace should be broken the
one can quarrel with the preamble Navy is, as always, the first line in Clause 1, which declares "thnt of defence for the maintenance of
essential the establishment of peace on ajour arm footing in the principal siptions."
communica-
of British foreign policy. I dis- This should clear the air of the armament is the solution of the mischievous propaganda which has age-old problem we are all trying so greatly added to the difficulties to solve, no one can honestly malu of those who have been responsible tain that Great Britain has not for providing an adequate Naval given a generous lead in this direc-defence during the last 17 years.
tion.
We have been continually told that navica are obsolete and re- After outlining all the efforts dundant, and that money spent on made by our successive Govern ships should be diverted to the ments since the war to "promote provision of an immense Air Force, the preservation of peace by which would provide all the neces treaty," the White Paper goes on sary defence of the Empire. But Imperial defence is not quite so , to say that:
"Hitherto, in spite of many sot-easy se that.
The development of the power, backs, public opinion in this coun-range, and speed of modern air-
to nasuma that try has tended
craft has in no way relieved or nothing is required for the main-lightened, but has only increased, tenance of peace except the exist the anxieties and responsibilities ing international political machin of the Admiralty. A study ery, and that the older methods of defence-Navics, Arrales and 800graphy will show that there are vast ocean apaces in which air- Air Forces on which we have
craft other than those operated hitherto depended for our security from ships could not possibly, have in the last resort, are no longer
any influence. required."
of
THE CAPITAL SHIP If this statement accurately represents feeling in the country If our seaborne communications, in general it is high time for the on which the very life of the Government to issue an authorita- country depends, were cut by an five stateinont sufficiently strongly enemy who did not regard navies worded to remind the people of the las obsoleto and redundant, our over-recurring lessons of history, factories would cease work and which record with unfalling re- our people would starve; our aero- gularity the humiliations and planes would soon cease to fly, defeats Britain has suffered when owing to lack of seaborne patrol her armed forces and maritime and lubricating oil, on which they power had been allowed to decline are dependent. and decay, because the political On the other hand, aircraft. horizon was for the moment clear. operated from warships or aircraft carriers have greatly lengthened OTHER POWERS ARMING the striking power of a navy, if To the relief of many thousands the fleet that carries them has But the air- of supporters of the National Gov-command of the sea. ernment who have been watching craft carriera are very vulnerable, our dwindling defences with great and cannot work unprotected by concern, Clause 1 of the White warships, Paper concludes:
The main feet is the basis on which our naval strategy rests,
More than 20,000 Brown Shirts, impressively assembled in Berlin's Lustgarten as pictured here, breathed more easily when they heard the words of General Hans-George von Jagowi "Reichsfumbrer Hitler has no intention of destroying the instrument be created". The speech dispelled the general opinion that Hitler would disband the storm troop organization that brought him to power in Germany.
Charles Miller, the last of the Pony Express riders of the Wast, is seen above handing the first-copy of his autobiography to his successor, the air pilot, for delivery to the Governor of California.
Admiral Sir Frederic Dreyer is here soon seated with Officers of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides following the Inspection at Kaschow Road Park.
tection of our trade routes, but
"The National Government in-and in the main fleet the capital escaped a similar fate. tends to pursue by every practic-ship romains the essential element
Clause 4 also deals with the lit denied to us the right to replace able means, without intermission, upon which the whole structure naval treaties in existence. We a considerable proportion or our a National policy of peace.. of our naval strategy depends, as had already scrapped 15 Dread-ald, worn-out and obsolete ships, But it can no longer close its eyes the White Paper declares This nought battleships and battle thus condemning our men to go to to the fact that adequate defences is not only the opinion of the cruisers and several armoured sea in ships quite unfit to meet are still-required for security and Board of Admiralty, but also of cruisers before we went to the those which other nations have to enable the British Empire to those who are responsible for the Washington Conference in the been buildings play its full part in maintaining navies of the four other great autumn of 1921. the ponco of the world."
maritime Powers.
►
The capital ship may, in years
TREATY OF LONDON
COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT
FIRST OF TYPE ON ORDER
We were forced to scrap the
London. Tiger, one of the four ships in
Ал the world capable of dealing with
experimental composite It is simply incredible that any to come, develop into something Thanks to the achievement of the German "pocket battleships," plane which may well revolu political party aspiring to govern different from the battleship, statesmen and naval officers, who and four powerful battleships of tionise long distance aerial trans- should attempt to make capital out which is the capital ship of to-day were prepared to make every pos- the Iron Duke class. Those five port has been ordered by Imperial of such a sane, obvious, though We have made every possible sible sacrifice consistent with ships would have been good for Airways from Short Brothers, of belated, declaration.
effort; in the interests of economy, security, a treaty was signed many more years of efficient ser- Rochester, and the Air Ministry Clause 2 points out that while to limit the displacement and gun which resulted in a long holiday vice, and were incomparably more are bearing part of the cost of it, all parties have been seeking to power of the capital ship or to in the construction of battleships, valuable for the protection of which is put at about £100,000.
The composite aircraft is really carry out the policy outlined above morrow. But so long as the four but left each country free to build large convoys than are the small there has been a stoady decline in other maritime Powers are build-such cruisers and destroyers as lightly gunned cruisers we are a two-in-one structure, consisting of a large four engined flying the effective strength of our arma-ing ships of 36,000 tons, mounting were considered necessary for the now building.
Moreover France and Italy, who boat which, by a patent interlock- ments by sea, land and air. "In 15in or 18in gunsas France and security of its maritime interests. this way we have taken great risks Italy are doing-we cannot afford The fact that ours were vastly attended the Conference, declined ing device, can carry on its wings for peace," but "our example of to build-less powerful ships, which greater than those of any other to jeopardise their security and a smaller but heavily loaded four- withdrew, with the result that they engined senplane. The full power unilateral disarmament had not would only be over-whelmed by nation was fully recognised.
The next conference-that helt are free to build whatever they of all eight engines will be used them. auccoeded.'
The lessons of the Great War in London in the winter of 1929-30 like. France has been building a for the take-off, and when the cor Clause 8 draws attention to the are, or should be, fresh in memory.resulted in the Treaty of Lon-great many submarines and flotilla rect launching speed and height fact that Germany has re-armed Battle-cruisers which were design-don. It is difficult to write tom-leaders, the latter of a type vastly have been reached the "air twins" openly on a large scale, despite ad to overhaul and destroy armour-perately about that ill-considered superior in displacement, gun will part company, the seaplane the Versailles Treaty, and recalls ed cruisers, and did so very effec-measure, which awept away all the power and speed to those which going on Its journey and the fly- that she gave notice of withdrawal tively off the Falkland Islands, anfeguards we had stood out for we are forced to build under the Ing-bont returning to its base. from the League of Nations and later had to fight the better pro- at Washington and which had been terms of the Treaty a striking The idea is to increase the range the Disarmament Conforense. tected German battle cruisers, accepted by other countries example of the folly of unilateral and load capacity of the seaplano, Japan also has withdrawn from the with the result that thros wore Thia Trenty not only limited our disarmament under naval treaties which will carry fuel-for-s-flight League. All the Great Powers blown up with the. loss of, 8,500 right to build vessels, and types which are not binding on all of 3,000 miles with 1,000 lbs. of
mall have added to their armed forces. lives, and a fourth narrowly of vessels, necessary for the pro-nations.
"
EMPIRE DAY
at the
PENINSULA HOTEL
DINNER
ON THE FIRST FLOOR
DANCE & SUPPER In the ROSE ROOM AND
ROOF GARDEN:
DANCING TILL-
2. A.M.
GALA
DINNER AND
DANCE
In Association with
The
Royal Empire Society
and
Overseas League
FRIDAY 24th MAY.
TICKETS: (Inclusive-Dinner, Dance and Supper) $5.00 (After Dinner Admission with Supper) $2.00 OBTAINABLE FROM RECEPTION OFFICES HONGKONG & PENINSULA HOTELS
THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.
GREATER THAN "HELL-DIVERS"
which means the
greatest air romanito- ever made!
HERE
ERE-AT LAST is the star. plashed sags, the drame, the glory, the humor and romance of Uncle Sam's aerial acest Hundreds of planes, thousandı af man, and Wallace Boory in the grandesi role of his screen caroor!
Wallace
BEERY West Point
THE
Air
OF
ROBERT
YOUNG
LEWIS
STONE
with.
MAUREEN
O'SULLIVAN
JAMES GLEASON
Directed by Richard Rosson Produced by Monta Beli
QUEEN'S
FRIDAY
Remember "Marietta” is Coming!
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer merring
JUST OPPOSITE the Dairy Farm's Soda Fountain.
The MING YUEN STUDIO has removed to the 3rd Floor of No. 6 Queen's Road Central.
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