Evening star., 1923-10-17
ENGLAND MAY TAX
COLON|ESFORN NAVY
imperial Conference consid'
ers Defense by Water,
Air and Land.
BY HAL O'FLAHERTY.

~ Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1928.
LONDON, October 17.-The problems
OF empire defense by water. by land
and by air are now under considera-
uon by the imperial conference and
Will occupy the delegates for the rev
mainder of the week.
The dominion premiers realize fully
the primary Importance of Great Brit
ain naval development upon which
depends the future of the empire
Ihelr dominionS are so widely sep
afated and so vulnerable to enemy
attack that the burden of maintain
ing a huge navy necessarily must fall
partly upon their shoulders.
shortly after the war ended. several
dominion leaders believed the time
had come for each unit in the empire
10 maintain its own naval defenses,
TO build and man it's own navy. But
Soch expenditures of money and man
power, they soon discovered. were
beyond their financial and physical
strength. The Washington conference,
by strictly limiting new naval build
ing, also effectively halted dominion
ambitions along the line of separate
naval units. Australia and Canada,
however, have some small naval craft
and few naval bases, although pri-
marily, they depend upon the British
feet, which is supported solely by
the taxpayers of the mother country.
Calls for Revision.
This situation calls for revision. not
only on account of the heavy burden
thrown on the mother country, but
because of new naval efforts requir-
fRg large amounts of capital and de-
signed altogether for the protection
of the dominionS. Within the COM
ing year work will be started on
the great naval base at Singapore,
tk.1x =
100000. Australia, New Zealand
and Canada are expected to provide
at least half of this amount and per-
haps supply the materials and labor
for it's construction.
\ new British naval policy = or
rsther a return to the old policy of
Nelson's day, when the hero of Ira
1alsar maintained a ratio of three
ships In the Mediterranean to one in
the Atlantic-iS likely to emerge from
the present sitting of the imperial
conference.
Since Germany is no longer a fac
tor in world sea power the North
sea has become a matter of minor
consideration In British policy. Great
Britain also feels absolutely assured
of friendly relations with the United
States. So she is free to dispose her
forces in waters where trouble may
eyentuate.
That spot, according to dominion
experts. is the Mediterranean. The
necessity for protecting the route 10
India makes it all-important for the
Mediterranean to remain an inter
national sea, they point out, and in
the coming disposition of ships it is
probable that half of Great Britain S
available naval force will be placed
in southern waters.
At present six battleships and light
cruisers are stationed in the Mediter-
ranean, supported by two fiotillas OF
destroyers. But, at least one more
battleShip is being conditioned for
that service, and it is likely that two
of Britain's super fighters. now under
protection of the India route.
When Italy recently bombarded
and occupied Corfu, she gave Brit
ish naval experts a practical example
of what might happen to her route
to India unless she watches it,
Moreover, Great Britain stands
pledged to the league of nations
which. at almost any moment, might
demand of her navy a show of force
to maintain the Leagues integrity. AS
the Mediterranean countries today
hold greater potential dangers than
any others. it is logical that Great
Britain should concentrate her forces
there.
The Japanese earthquake has prac-
tically dissipated all fears of Japan
becoming a dangerous factor in the
Pacific, but this is not expected to
defer Great Britain's plan for max
ing Singapore the most powerful
naval base in that part of the world.
Only when some all-powerful asso-
citation of nations, far wider in scope
than the present league, comes into
being will Britannia find rest from
her self-imposed task of ruling the
waves