1938-03-18 — Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 15, 1938.

BIG INCREASE IN NAVAL CONSTRUCTION REVEALED

IN NAVAL ESTIMATES

London, To-day.

had been supplied by Japan in

for ca

hips, the House can rest

ply to the recent joint enquiry by lassured that our plans for so doing great Britain, the United States and are well advanced." France, but it is still possible that on reconsideration, she may decide

satisfactory assurances that she will

SINGAPORE DOCK

In reference to the opening of the

pore, the Minister said: In Singa

In the absence of the First Lord of the Admiralty, to take her place with the great pow-

ill with influenza, the Parliamentary Secretary ers of the world and agree to give King George Sixth Dock at Singa- presented in the Commons, the Navy Estimates abide by treaty limits even if she pore, Britain had a base suited to totalling £123,707,000, an increase of some is not prepared to accede to the ther needs in that. part of £18,600,000 over last year. £30,000,000 of the total is to be raised under the Defence Loans Act. Expenditure on new construction apart from the

is

treaty.

ESCAPE CLAUSE

the world: under any cir- cumstances. He repeated the dif- First Representatives of the three Pow-ficulty alluded to by the

Lord last year in stating any stan- ers mentioned were conferring last dard of strength in terms of coun- week as to whether, in the absence tries or of numerals at which the

vessels in 1938 programme which will be theer information they should invoke of #subject of supplementary estimates

£41,500,000 compared with £18,000,000 in 1914 estimates.

Regarding - this "unparalleled, now than before the Great War. As peace-time activity" Mr. Geoffrey to the 1938 programme, the number but Shakespeare said that even allowing of ships had been announced, for the increase in the cost of ship the question of qualitative limits was building, the figures showed that affected by the position of Japan. Britain was making a greater effort! Up to the present, no information

the appropriate escape clause the treaty which, subject to certain conditions, allows the signatory pow ers to exceed the qualitative limits laid down.

Government was aiming and in this connection recalled the Pre- mier's statement on Monday that

following recent events in Europe a review of defence requirements was being undertaken.

The question had been referred

Mr. Shakespeare entered into a back to the individual Governments detailed review of the consequen- and we are not, therefore, in a posices. of the transfer to the Navy of tion to make an announcement 35 the Fleet Air Arm in the course of to our intentions. But if, for ex- which he mentioned that there ample, it is considered necessary to were at present in commission, exceed a displacement of $5,000 tons four aircraft-carriers and that five

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new ones are being constructed Moreover, all capital ships and larger cruisers would be fitted with aircraft operated from catapults as 2 large number, of course, already.

DESIGN OF SHIPS

were

The maximum strength of 112,- 000 last year was being raised to j119,000 and the Miräster stated that recruiting had been very sa tisfactory.

After answering a number of criticisms which he said 'had been formulated over recent years as to the design of ships, including the question of dual firing, the Parlia

mentary Secretary spoke of the at- titude of the Admiralty to the ques- tion of convoy. Varied provision must be made for the different dan- gers to which merchant shipping might be exposed in various cir- cumstances, where trade was of great importance or density and liable to attack by surface vessels, submarines or aircraft.

CONVOY SYSTEM

-

The Admiralty view was that a suitably escorted convoy would pro- vide the best means of defence. Where trade was sparse or scat- tered or unlikely to be attacked by enemy forces, its safety would be sought by diversion or an evasive routine, with such patrols as the circumstances warranted. -

that

The Admiralty recognised the convoy might be necessary as early as the outbreak of war and were ready to put it into operation where and when required.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE

The House was no doubt awar that there been sitting for some time a very strong committee re- presentative of the shipping inter ests, the Board of Trade and the Admiralty and he paid a tribute to the manner in which the leaders: of the shipping industry had co- operated in this vital matter

The Admiralty, for their part. were busily engaged in huilding arp & reserve of armaments, stores and material, neces

ther

protection of the merchant British Wireless

The ImsEmpress of

is due at Shanghai, on Tuesday

pm an

Manila

aves for Ho

Wednesday