1939-02-16 — Page 5

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 16, 1989

Britain To Spend Huge Sum On Defence

London, To-day.

The Defence White Paper, issued yesterday, shows that the Defence Estimates for 1939-40 will amount to £523,000,000. Defence expenditure in 1937-38 was £262,000,000; and in 1938-39 (the current year) up to March 31 estimated expenditure, allowing for sup- plementary estimates, is £388,000,000.

Thus in the first three years' in the course of the current finan- period in which borrowing pow-cial year has been more than doubl- ers were to amount tó £400,000,- ed," and will show a further sub- 000, total defence expenditure is stantial increase. £1,173,000,000.

This takes no account of com- plementary civil defence expendi- ture and relates solely to the Navy, Army and Air Force.

By March 31 the number of first-line aircraft will have been

raised to 1,750 in accordance with the original programme.

This provision was extended by

Allowing for civil defence ex- penditure total expenditure in the announcement in May, 1938, 1939-40 will be in the neighbour- hood of £580,000,000.

The Air Estimates in 1939 will exceed £200,000,000..

PRELIMINARIES „COMPLETE

The White Paper states that the earlier stages of the five-year defence programme have now been completed.

Industrial capacity has been largely increased and production difficulties largely overcome.

for a metropolitan first-line strength of 2,370 aircraft; an overseas strength of 500 and completion of] expansion of the Fleet Air Arm.

Further expansions were .an- nounced on November 10 last for further increase and acceleration of the programme.

During 1939 expansion of the R.A.F. will be continued in accor dance with these announcements.

Reuter.

BRITISH AIMS

All three Service departments are now receiving armament, stores of all kinds and the latest

Towards the end of the state- models in very large quantities.

ment the Government declares: “It TWO MORE BATTLESHIPS Production will continue on antish armaments have no aggressive is everywhere recognised that Bri- increasing scale.

The British Government Future plans depend on the purpose. world situation but it is at pre-diture of these vast sums on arma- deeply deplore the need for expen- sent impossible to predict how

mehts. They have already indicat- will permit soon the situation

ed that when other nations are slowing down of armaments pro- prepared to consider some arrange-

duction.

ments for limitation of armaments

country

Regarding the Navy, it is pro- this country will be prepared to posed to include another two ca-play its part. But in the absence pital ships in the 1939 proof general reduction of armaments gramme, so altogether there will be nine of these vessels under it is inevitable that this

should continue to take steps ne- construction.

cessary, in the light of present de- velopments, for its own protection and for discharge of its responsi- bilities."

FLEET EXPANSION The 1939 programme will provide two new destroyer flotillas and 20 fast escort vessels of a new type in- tended for protection of shipping against submarine and air attacks.

There will be another aircraft- carrier, making six under construc- tion exclusive of the Ark Royal, which is now completed and in ser- vice.

RECORD TONNAGE

Regarding the Navy, it is shown that in the three financial years be- fore the Great War, average annual tonnage of the principal type of warships, exclusive of submarines, There will be four large 6-inch completed was 170,000, while com- gun cruisers and some smaller ves-pleted tonnage for the year end- ing March, 1941, will be 219,500, Modernisation of existing capital while tonnage building by the end ships is proceeding steadily. and of next month is expected to reach great progress has been made in 659,500.- strengthening anti-aircraft-arma- ments of other ships.

Equipment of the Army has also progressed greatly."

sels.

"AIRCRAFT, DELIVERY As regards the Air Force, the monthly rate of delivery of aircraft

"NIKS

Kong

Expenditure on A. R. R. amounted to £3,500,000 in 1937. For the pre- sent year it is estimated to reach £9,250,000, while for the next year the estimate is £42,000,000, exclu- sive of assistance to vital public utility services and water for em- ergency fire fighting purposes, es- timated. at £9,000,000. -British Wireless.

WEATHER FORECAST

The Royal Observatory reports

that a strong anti-cyclone

China, Korea and S. Japan,

has

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