1938-04-25 — Page 3

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

MONDAY

APRIL

BRITAIN PLANS BIGGER WARSHIPS

Empire Will Spend £123,000,000 On Navy In Current

139 VESSELS ARE ALREADY ON THE STOCKS

Westminster. rank of lieutenant-colonel in the

Royal Marines.

IN the absence through illness of Mr. Duff Cooper, First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. G. Shake spcare, Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, introduced the Navy Estimates in the House of Commons thla evening.

Mr. Shakespeare said that the total for which they asked for 1938 was £123,707,000 of which £30,000,000 was to come from Issues from the Consolidated Fund under the Defence Loans Act

This total of nearly £124,000,000 showed an increase compared with 1937 of £18,000,000.

The expenditure on now construc- tlon already authorised apart from the vessels to bo ordered in 1938 was £41,500,000. The total number of ships in hand or to be ordered in the year was 139, exclusive of smali craft.

A reduction of 28. a day was to be made in the full pay of all oficers of these ranks with the exception of the few Heutenants concerned.

Marriage allowance for n explain) R.N. would be 6s, od, a day, and for other commissioned officers 43; 6d. The allowances for children would be the same in all cases-2s. a day for the first child and is. a day for each subsequent child,

Upon none more than the warrant officers did the absence of a marriage allowance in the Navy press heavily.

Warrant officers from the age of 25,

and commissioned officers from war- Frant rank, would receive a marriage' allowance of 3s. a day, with is, Od. for the first child and la, for each subsequent child.

MR. CHURCHILL'S FEARS

The lieutenant from warrant rank would receive 4s. Bd. a day, with 28. 3d a day for the first und 19. n day for subsequent children.

As to cuts in standard rates, in- herent in the scheme, the warrant officer would suffer no cut.

FIVE NEW CRUISERS The tonnage in hand at present was 3547,000, and of this amount delivery of not less than 150,000 tons was ex- pected by March 1930, Or, put in terms of ships, they hoped by about the end of the financial year in Marchant rank would be cut from 18, to 1939 to have completed in the major classes of ships

One aircraft carrier, Five 10,000-tons cruisers, Three flotillas of destroyers of elebt each,

Twelve submarines, -

Two submarino depot ships.

The

new programme would be the subject of a Supplementary Estimate, Referring to the inquiry addressed 10 Japan by the United States, Britain, and Fronce regarding the qualitative limits of the London Naval Treaty, of which Jupan was not a signatory, Mr. Shakespeare said. that up to the present no information had been supplied by Japan,

The question and been referred back to the individual Governments, and he was not, therefore, in'n posi- tion to make an announcement us to the Government's intentions.

Bat it, for example, it was con- sidered necessary to exceed the displacement of 35,000 tons fald down for capital ships, the House could rest assured that plans for so doing were well advanced. Mr. Shakespeare explained that no

destroyers were included in the new 1938 programme, because "when we have placed an order for the last Bolilla of eight destroyers this week, in completion of the programme for the current year, we shall have no fewer than 40 destroyers on the stocks."

Of the new Singapore base, for which £800,000 was required this year for the continuation of works, Mr. Shakespeare said:

"We now have in Singapore a base sulted to our needs, in that part of the world in any circumstances.

The commissioned officer from war- is. 8d., according to seniority, and the leutenant from warrant rank would; be cut 25.

It was felt that the automatic system

of promotion discouraged zeal,

would therefore be re- IL placed by a system of promotion by selection. It was not intend- ed that any officers All for promo tion should be passed over. The to average age for promotion Ifeutenant would be accelerated and the promotion of lieutenants from warrant rank would be increased.

A

Year

AMERICAN PACIFIC FLEET GOES

UFS

war in tha...Pacifle was portrayed last month by 3,600 VIVID SIX-WEEKS DRAMA of officers and 55,000 men, aboard 150 surface ships and 500 fighting planes. It is reported the Above, biggest movement in American naval history, covering manoeuvres from Alaska' to Hawali. some of the ships prepare to leave San Diego, Cal.

Scott-Paine Torpedo Shrapnel In His

Boat Condemned

From PERCY CATER

Westminster.

From May 1 an extra éd. a day ADMIRALITY inquiries will take place immediately into allegations made in the House of Commons to-

would be paid to certain ratings and Royal Marines serving on speciul ser- vice engagements 50 as to equate

their scales with the seales of ratings night that engines of a type which had been bought for on continuous service.

Heart 20 Years

Brighton.

Frank Verrall, ex-private of the 8th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, read to-day the story of Marcel Bailleul, French alt man, claimed to be the only man to live twenty years with a war- ilmo bullet in his heart-and smiled.

To all his friends. Frank Verrall, ture of health. Unknown to them his

forty-one to-morrow, looks the pic-

Mr. Churchill (Con., Epping), war-£5 to £10 had been fitted into Scott-Paine motor torpedo-life is a day-to-day miracle.

time First Lord of the Admirally, said

he had one or two critlelsins to make, boats of the British Navy.

but they did not imply any want of confidence in the naval administra-

In May 1918 Frank was struck by a piece of shrapnel and taken to hos-

that the shrapnel, nearly as large as

a shilling, had lodged in his heart.

Mr. Scott-Paine, it was added, had charged £3,800 for pital. At Rouen it was discovered

It was also asserted that the Scott-Paine boats, which cost the

tion or the Board of Admiralty, such engines. which he

highest believed to be of the very i

Frank,, who now lives at Burgess

near HIU,

Brighton, said to-

He hoped the promise which was made last year with regard to 10in. British Navy £29,000 each, were obsolete before they were launched, day: "Doctor after doctor saw me,

gans had been carried out, and that all plant was ready to construct them should it be necessary to move to that calibre. Otherwise might be lost.

and were "held in contempt in the Service."

Lt.Cdr. Fletcher (Soc., Nun-time sending abroad boats doing 42

ENGINE MONOPOLY

a whole year eaton), who made the charges, knots, service laden.

said that motor torpedo-boats re- placed coastal motor-boats after the war.

He did not feel contented that the Ave battleships now belug bullt at a cost of £40,000,000 be armed with guns lar to those being put into contemporary vessels of all the great naval Powers."

"BOOSTING" THE BOATS

I became a sort of medical show- plece.

"I was told that the shrapnel would kill me, but here I am feeling all right after twenty years. I am morried. I have three children and Having got this order he found he to keep them I go to work as a brick- to avoid could not get any 300-horse-power layer, though I am told marine engines, so he got a monopoly exertion." of all 500-horse-power Napler Lion!

In 1937 articles began to appear in engines. Napiers had long ago given

boosting these motor up the manufacture of these, but the. These facts were reported by the It appeared from what Mr. Shake-the Press

The question of the RAF. had a lot not used. Mr. police to the Admiralty, and "the torpedoboats.

So these engines gentleman speare had said that the Admirity boats introduced the name of Mr. Scott Paine adapted

called" who Was The House will appreciate the were satisfied that they had enough Scott-Palme, who had at one time difficulty in these days of laying down i destroyers. That was news to him.started an air service which he sold for marine work, but they were qulfe engineering this business was inter-

a specifle standard, as was done in pre-war days. Our programme then was influenced by treaties of alliance and by a polley based on a balance of power.

Ser

unsuitable.

Three were Atted in each boat, und

(Lieut.-Commander he

viewed at the Admiralty. Ife thought they were a commodity out to Imperial Airways, of which

Fletcher) He (Lt. Cmdr. Fletcher) would of which we could never have enough he became a director.

war began.

He then became sole owner of the could say from conversations with a like to know why the man was not these engines prosecuted. The circumstances at- "When we consider that we should

He marine officer that find Germany or Italy in possession British Power Boat Company.

All That has not been the case since of submarines numbered by the got a contract from the R.A.F. which gave trouble. Was the Parliamentary tending the contract for the boats

He Secretary to the Admiralty prepared were certainly unsatisfactory, the war. We have sinco then hundred, the number of destroyers was never put out to tender. attempted to substitute a policy of we possess is far below the demands also got a contract from Imperial to say that the Admiralty had had the facts would be placed at the into the matter collective security based

the that would be made upon them for Airways-of which he was a director consistently satisfactory reports from disposal of the Admiralty who, he

the engineer officers in respect of hoped, would go --and again there was no competitive

drastically. League. No one can argue, unfor- the security of convoys, for the

these boats? tender. tunately, that collective security, as vices of the fleets, and for all pur-

*QUITE GOOD BOATS" IIc approached the Admiralty such, is reallly effective to-day. We poses of reconnaissance."

A flotilla of these boats had gone the Mediterranean, and the are still engaged in making up de- He was far from contented with three years ago, and got an order to

Col. Llewellin, Civil Lord of the Aclencles of past years.

the type of cruisers now being built. for a number of 72ft. motor torpedo-Commander-in-Chief ordered them Admiralty, who, with Mr. Geoffrey

were at The Southampton class of 9,000 tons, boats. Thornycrofts

this to proceed at 30 knots and attack a

Shakespeare, Parliamentary Secre armed with Bln. guns, was hopelessly

rendezvous 200 miles distant. They fory, was deputising for Mr. Duff never arrived.

The flotilla ran out Cooper, First Lord of the Admiralty, inferior to the 10,000-tons ships, with

who is lil, undertook, after hearing sin guns, now being constructed by

of petrol. Germany, Italy, Japan, and

the speech, that if the evidence was United States.

given to him as Commander Fletcher promised, he would go fully into the matter at the Admiralty.

• AIRCRAFT CARRIERS "Schemes for the recruitment, training, and employment of various classes of naval personnel which will in future be employed in the Fleet Air Arm have already been worked

out.

There were at present in com- mission four aircraft carriers, snd five now ones were being Moreover, it was constructed,

GIBRALTAR'S "PERIL"

the

know that in Germany there are five 10,000-ton cruisers with 8. guns being bullt, and none of our ships of comparable clam is within ten years of such ships. We have no ships capable of encountering them in single ship action. We should have the greatest difficulty, uniem wo build similar vessels, in coping with them."

recreating the Nayy

at

21.8

would be immensely lightened if the Prime Minister would delegate to Mr. Churchill the task of reorganising and The alleged speed of the boats was 40 knots, but they could not do 200 There was no one better quailed miles at 30 knots. He believed that He objected strongly to the tax-

to carry it out. The First Lord (Mr. fully loaded their maximum speed "Arrangements are being made for

He hoped they would be able to boats ran dispose of it, but I it could not be a very close liaison with the Air payers money being taken to con- Duff Cooper) had neither the know-was 33% knots. In February 1938, Ministry, as a permanent measure, instruct ships not capable of meeting edge nor the experience to undertake the comparable Italian

nine hours 45 knots, service disposed of the necessary action design, supply, research and the their natural antagonists. We had such a tremendous task,

Col. J. J. Llewellia, Civil Lord of loaded.

would be taken. maintenance of material and the been drawn into this by treaty en-

"These boats, as a matter of fact," A FURTHER ORDER

he said, "were not as bad training of personnel. To this end tanglements, but there were escape the Admiralty, replying to the debate, proposals are under consideration to clauses by means of which we could sald the five new battleships now

building would have 14in, gunar

Mr. Scott-Faine had just received Commander Fletcher has made out. increase substantially the number of by negotiation get relief.

If they attempted the change to an order for nine more of the boats They were quite good. They went ⚫naval personnel at present serving in

10in. guns there would be delay of which failed when tried out in the out to the Mediterranean under their the Air Ministry."

between three and four years, be- Mediterranean. He enjoyed a virtual own power. cause the turrets would take so long monopoly from the RAF, Imperial "They were bought and ordered to manufacture.

quckly during the Italo-Abyssinian Airways, and the Admiralty. Mr. Churchill had asked for an

Had the Admiralty costing de-War and, with regard to Scott- assurance that our essential security the intention to ili all capital

would not be imperilled, and if pre- partment investigated the price of Paines, at the time they were the ships and larger cruisers with

liminary preparations were now be- these boats -Scott-Peine boats were only firm that was making such aircraft operated from catapults,

ing made, should it be necessary, to byword in the boat-building trade boats, Vosper has since produced Provision was made for an increase

go ahead with 10in, guns for the two could the House be told what was: 4, boat and an experimental one from a maximum strength of 112,000

ero Admiralty." in 1937 to a maximum strength of He enurely agreed as to the very battleships which were projected in the exact purpose for which these which we have bought for the

There 110,000 for the Navy for 1938. This serious strategic issues which were the White Paper which formed the boats were ordered, and why were

MR. ALEXANDER'S DEMAND total was the highest since 1922, raised by the Italian fortification of basis of the Supplementary Estimate. there no competitive tenders?

had been no tenders put out since "I can give an unqualified us The number of men enlisted in the the Mediterranean, which was pro-

1935.

Mr. Alexander, a former Socialist surance that we are going for- current year constituted a record for teeding ceaselessly.

The most serious part of the First Lord of the Admiralty, said: ward now with all the plum peace-Ume. They looked like having, "Not only ore there the dangers at

necomaty, and will be ready business was the Napler Llon engines. "I am very concerned about this near as may be, what they set Gibraltar of fire from land, not only

should the time come, na we hope

He could produce evidence from an case," and added that he had had out to achieve an increase of 10,000 the dangers at Moita as affected by

i will not."

Individual that these engines had correspondence on it privately with involving the recruitment of nearly massed air attack unless we have

́Alexander ́ (Soc., Hillsboen, bought, for from £6 to 210, the First Lord. 16,500

men and boys.

overwhelming anti-aircraft defence,

"In view of the charges made," he Mr. Shakespeare gave detalls of the but we have also to consider the very borough): Can some examination bo and yet Mr. Scott-Paise had been scheme of marriage allowance en- special measures that are being taken made of the question of increasing charging £3,800 for these engines. said, "I think if essential that they

Nine of these boats were ordered

should be publicly repudiated if they cunced for officers of the Royal for the fortification of the island of the charge and Improving the service in February 1938, although the are not true, and if you are not able Navy and Royal Marine.

Panpellaria, with no other object of firing of the 14lu, guns?

Col. Llewellin: I am told that the They were obsolete before they were there ought to be a very full and Vader present regulations, he said than to enable the Mediterranean to charge in satisfactory, and that our delivered; £28,000 was paid for each detailed Inquiry."

Vosper boat came out in May 1937, to give a full explanation: I think

the lot of the married naval officer be cut in half by an Italian fleet.

naval alost, without private resources, was "It is certainly not for our benefit

authorities are fully satisfied

of these obsolete boats; they were Col. Idowellla said he quție realised one of continual anxiety. They had that this labour is being undertaken.that the 14in. gums we have not as held in contempt in the Service, and that there were a lot of detailed consulted officers, confidentially as "There are also the fortifications, at fully emclent and in fact may will

the destroyer crews said they could points. Whether they would prefer a flat rate Leros, another Island All these con- be quite as eficientus 10 run them down with their bows Mr. Alexander will realise," he of marriage allowance or a scale of siltute processes, which require the which may not be manned as well as

without

stated, "that opening fre

it is irnpossible for me marriage allowances with additions unceasing vigilance of the Brush Ad- by our own sailors. for children. On the whole they pre-miralty and the nation. I have a sort Germany was the only country In June the British Power Boat to go into them and give a reply to ferred the latter course, and it had of feeling that we are being natted building the cruisers with Bin guns, Company Introduced what could only night, and rather than give rich been adopted orala podupire in from various direction wear and he had agreed to build only be described as a spy Into the Vosper reply, I thought it was batter to give There workThe police thought if the undertaking that I have given. in curulur marriage allowance between three We had 13 of them.

bayable to the married?SIK ROGER KEYES was no reason to suppose that Japan the work of a forelim country They We will certainly by some method

interceptedy telephone

and make publlo the result of the inquiry 3 of 30, and was up Bie CON, Fortenbandrythema to reduce bite noted wake What about and pulse will undertake ab #big to: Nomoers up to the rank mouth) aldine task of me Ministerie A Socialer

:the

the vote was detented by dad to 114, dought!

110

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