1935-05-21 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG

GRAPH. TUESDAY,

1985,

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 Govern- ment's wise and statesmanlike pronouncement and very modest contribution towards naval efficiency.

If their insidious propagands, Under these circumstances the fallacios and mis-statements of Government had no choice but to fact were to be met with a vigor-put British armaments in a condi- oua counter-attack, every true tion to safeguard us against British man and woman, and every potential dangers. friend of Great Britain in the world, would rally to the support

GUARDING THE SEAS

of the Government, in opposition I think the Government and to the internationalist policy of their technical advisers, the three; the Socialista. It was the So-Chiefs of the Staff-who work cialists who declared at the annual together in loyal co-operation- conference at Southport last year are to be congratulated on the wise that they would introduce an Act and timely reminder of the func of Parliament to hand over the tions of the Navy contained in security of the British Empire to Clause 4. These have been rather the League of Nations.

lost sight of by the general public

Let us examine this much-of late years. abuned White 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 "that of defence for the maintenance of the establishment of peace on our essential дел communica firm footing is the principal aim

tions."

of British foreign policy.” If 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 main-jof 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 Inst 17 years, tion.

We have been continually told that navies 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 to say that:

Imperial defence is not quite so easy as that.

"Hitherto, in spite of many set- The development of the power, backs, public opinion in this coun try has tended to assume that range, and speed of modern air- nothing is required for the main-craft has in no way relieved or tenance of peace except the oxist-lightened, but has only increased, ing International political machin-the anxieties and responsibilities ory, and that the older methods of the Admiralty. A study of of defence-Navies, Armies and geography will show that there are Air Forces on which we have vast ocean spaces in which air- hitherto depended for our security from ships could not possibly have craft other than those operated

in the last resort, are no longer

any influence. required."

THE CAPITAL SHIP

If this statemerit accurately represents feeling in the country If our seaborne communications, In general it is high time for the fon which the very life of the Government to issue an authorita-country depends, were cut by an tive statement sufficiently strongly enemy who did not regard navies worded to remind the people of the aa obsolete and redundant, our ever-recurring lessons of history, factories would cease work and which record with unfailing re- our people would starve; our aero- gularity the humillations and planes would soon cease to fly, defeats Britain has suffered when owing to lack of seaborne petrol her armed forces and maritime and lubricating.oll, 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 thousand, the fleet that carrice them has of supporters of the National Gov-command of the sea. But the air- ernment who have been watching craft carriers are very vulnerable, our dwindling defences with great and cannot work unprotected by concern, Clause 1 of the White warships. Paper concludes:

The main fleet is the basis on which our naval strategy rests,

More than 20,000 Brown Shirts, impressively assembled in Berlin's Lustgarten no pictured, bere, breathed more waslly when they heard the words of General Hans-George von Jagow: “Relebefuehrer Hitler has no intention of destroying the instrument he created.". The speech dispelled the general opinion that Hitler would disband the storm troop organization that brought him to power lși Garmany.

Charles Miller, the last of the Pony Express riders of the West, is soon aboys banding the first copy of his

autobiography to his successor, the air pilot, for delivery to the Governor of California.

Admiral Sir Frederic Dreyer is hure seen seated with Officers of the Boy Scouts and

Girl Guides following the inspection at Kiaochow Road Park.

tection of our trade routes, but]

"The National Government in-and in the main floot the capital escaped a similar fate. tends to pursue by overy practic- ship rëmains the essential element Clause 4 also deals with the it denied to us the right to replace able means, without intermission, upon which the whole structure naval treaties in existence. Wo a considerable proportion or our a National policy of peace. ...of our naval strategy depends, as had already scrapped 15 Dread-old, 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 mast 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 bullding. play its full part in maintaining navies of the four other great autumn of 1921. the peace of the world."

maritime Powers,

TREATY OF LONDON

Wo were forced to scrap the Tiger, one of the four ships in the world capable of dealing with An

COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT

FIRST. OF TYPE ON ORDER

London.

experimental composite

The capital ship may, in years 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 serial 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,

offort, in the interests of economy, security, a treaty was signed many more years of efficient ser- Rochester, and the Air Ministry Clausa 2 points out that while to limit the displacement and gun which resulted in a long holiday vico, and were incomparably more are bearing part of the cost of it. all parties have been seeking to power of the capital ship of to- in the construction of battleships, valuable for the protection of which I put at about £100,000. carry out the policy outlined above morrow. But so long as the four hut left each country free to build large convoys than are the small there has been a steady decline in other maritime Powers are build-uch cruisers and destroyers as lightly gunned cruisers we are a two-in-ons structure, consisting The composite aircraft is really. the effective strength of our arma-ing ships of 35,000 tons, mounting were considered necessary for the now building, ments by sea, land and air. "In 15in or 16in guns as France and security of its maritime interests.

of a large four engined- flying this way we have taken great risks Italy are doing-we cannot afford The fact that oure were vastly attended the Conference, declined ing device, can carry on its wings Moreover France and Italy, who boat which, by a patent interfeck- for peace," but "our example of to build lose powerful ships, which greater than those of any other to jeopardiso their security and a smaller but heavily loaded four- unilateral disarmament had not would only be overwhelmed by nation was fully recognised. withdrew, with the result that they engined seaplane. The fall power

them succeeded."

The next conference--that held are free to build whatever they of all eight engines will be used The lessons of the Great War in London in the winter of 1929-30 like. France has been building 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 dimcult to write tem-leaders, the latter of a type vastly have been reached the "air twins" oponly on a large scale, despite ad to overhaul and destroy armour-porately about that ill-considered superior in displacement, gun will part company, the susplane the Versailles Treaty, and recalls dd cruisers, and did so very effec measure, which swept away all the power and spend to those which going on its journey and the fly that she gave notics of withdrawal hitely off the Falkland Islands, safeguards we had stood out for we are forced to bulk under the ing boat-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 liking The idea is to increase the range the Disarmament Conference footed Garman battlecruisers, accepted by other countries. example of the folly of uplateral and load capacity of the seaplane Japan also has withdrawn from the with the result, that threo : ware League. All the Great Rowers blown up with the loss of 8,500, right to build vessel and types which are not binding on

This Treaty not only limited our disarmament under naval treaties which will carry fuel for a flight have added to their arm Korces, liver-and-fourth

of 3,000 millas with 1,000 lbs. of narrowly of vessels, necessary for the proz nations,

mail.

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 romance ever made!

HERE AT LAST is the star

splashed saga, the drama, the glory, the humor and romance of Uncle Sam's aerial aves! 'Hundreds of planes, thousands of men, and Wallace Beory in the grandast róle of his screen careezi

Wallace 2

BEERY West Point

OF THE

THEAir

ROBERT

YOUNG

LEWIS

STONE

with

MAUREEN

OʻSULLIVAN

JAMES

GLEASON

Directed by Richard Rossen Produced by Monia Bail

QUEEN'S

FRIDAY

Remember "Marietta" Is Coming!

& Metro-Goldwyn Maye

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,