New-York tribune., 1919-03-14
British Navy
Development
Is to Continue
Admiralty Head Tells Conf
mons Nation Aims to Lead
in Keeping Worlds Peace
lntegrityTo Be Maintained
Long Says English Ships
Carried 20 Million Men in
War; 2,5OO,OOO Animals

LONDON, March 12.-In introducing
in the House Of Commons to-day the
naval estimates for 100000 officers,
men and boys, Walter Hume Long,
First Lord of the Admiralty, said that
until the peace conference decided
what the worlds armament for the
future should be, it was idle to ask
any naval expert to frame rccommen-
dations for the future
However, he said, the British navy
intended to apply the lessons it had
learned in the war in the development
of the feet. The number Of men for
which the vote was asked was the
maximum, from which it was hoped
to work down.
Work had been stopped on great
number Of ships of all classes which
were under construction when the
armstcc was signed.
Mr. Long said that while avoiding
any expenditure that could be avoided
consistent with the safety of the coun
try, the government felt that it was
its duty to see that the navy was able
to perform its double task of main
tanning the integrity of the empire
and playing a continuously leading
part in preserving the peace of the
world.
Transported 26,5OO,OO0 Men
The British navy, from August, 1914,
to March 2, 1919, transported more
than 26,5OO,OOO soldiers and other per-
sonnel connected with the conduct of
the war, Mr.. Long declared. In addi
tion nearly 100000 prisoners, 2,250,00O
animals. more than 100000 vehicles,
4S,OOO,O 900 tons of military stores and
100000 tons of live stores had been
transported by naval transports.
"The activities of the navy have
been UNIVERSAL" Mr.. Long said. "From
North Scotland to the great African
lakes the feet has made its power
felt, and the weight Of it's hand has
been appreciated fully by the enemy.
In aiding the food supply the navy has
never given us any right to complain,
considering the issue at stake.
Hopes for New Stage of Progress
"Was there anything in the picture
of great naval action to compare
with the surrender of the German fleet
to the British fact in midocean? The
final surrender of the German navy
to our keeping was n greater naval
victory than could have been achieved
by any action at sea. | hope that sur
render marked a new etage in the
progress of the world and means that
in the future we will be relieved of
| those errors which made the world so
miserable during the last few years"
Mr.. Long described the immense
amount Of construction work which
had been carried on during the war,
especially the new harbors at Rosyth
and lnvergordon. He said that
mechanism had been developed for
the navy by which hearing had been
made to serve as effectively as sight.
Since the armistice, Mr.. Long add
ed, $500 moored mines had been de-
stroyed by mine sweepers and no mer-
chant ship which adhered to the pre-
scribed route had been damaged by
moored mine. No merchant ship had
failed to sail for want of men, al
though the crews were men who had
been on ships torpedoed or mined
three, four or five times.
No Dreadnoughts Being Built
Thomas j. Macnamara, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Admiralty, in reply to
a question, said no dreadnought battle
ships were under construction on
December 81 last. He added that four
dreadnought battle cruisers were under
construction on that date, but work
on three had been abandoned, and the
slips upon which they were being built
had been freed for merchant ship con-
struction.
On the same date, he said. Great
Britain had thirty-three dreadnought
battleships and nine dreadnought bat
tie cruisers, all Of which were in COM
mission except one battleship and one
battle cruiser. SO far as he knew, no
capital ships will be laid down this
year.
Plans Await Peace Terms
Mr.. Long said it had been impossible
to prepare detailed estimates, and un-
til the great naval questions being
| discussed at the Paris conference had
been settled it would be idle to ask
any naval expert to frame recommend
ations or give his views on Great
Britain's future policy.
The Labor member, William Brace
referring to the freedom of the seas
said: 'N'
1--WE are an island people. Our from
tier is the seas. The roads to the gran
aries of the world, which have to feed
US, are the waters of the Seven Seas
Consequently l hope that when the
First Lord of the Admiralty goes to
Paris ne will keep an eye on the free
dom OF the seas, which must have an
entirely different meaning to us than
any 1T could have for other nations. y
British naval estimates for 2So.ooO
men mark big increase over the 1914