The Washington times., 1937-03-12
RUSHES
BUILDING OF
14SWARSH|PS

Britain buzzed with excitement to-
day after First Lord Of the
Admiralty Sir Samuel Hoare re-
vealed in the house of commons
yesterday q spectacular plan to
have 14S new warships under con-
struction this year.
At the same time he renounced
any naval race with either the
United States or Germany.
Air Plan Drafted
Introducing the 1887 naval esti-
mates Of $525,325, 900, Sir Samuel
also disclosed:
ONE-That Britain is prepared to
launch a powerful naval air
attack to meet the modern
threat to warships by airplanes.
TWO-That the admiralty has de-
viSed a secret scheme by which
British shipping is to be pro
tected in the narrow SEAS"
meaning the Mediterranean
where Italy's challenge is grow.
ing.
Although Britain's gigantic de-
tense program calls for work on
five battleships, four aircraft car.
riers, II cruisers and numerous
smaller vessels before the end of
1887, Hoare declared these activi-
ties are not intended to compete
with the defense programs Of
America or Germany. He said:
Nov and hencefOrth there
can be no rivalry between the
American and British navieS.
"NOr can there be any race
between German and British
naval ornaments.
No More Rivalry
"AS regards both American
and German naval armaments,
there is = very different posi-.
tiOn from what there was in the
years before 1914.
Before 1914 the United States
and Britain used to take account
Of one anOther's navieS. We
used to look SuSpiciOuSly at each
others programs. That kind of
suspicion and naval rivalry have
gone, / believe, forever"
Cheers greeted this declaration.
During debate, former Chancel-
lor Of the Exchequer winston
Churchill declared Britain'S five
year $500, 100000 rearmament
program is not intended to COM
pete with Americas defense plans.
Urging equal naval strength as be-
tween the United States and Brit
ain, Churchill said:
II earnestly hope the United
States will not fall below the
level Of their parity with our
country and will not fail to pro
duce mp to its quota.
II don't think there Is much
danger Of their failing to do 50.
Thus, we must contemplate the
immediate construction stimuli
taneOuSly Of 10 battIeships Of the
newest class BY the English
speaking powers" - ff
Concern Over italy
Hoare'S reference to the mar.
row seas" revealed the British ad-
miralty'S preoc cupation with
Italy'S growing strength in the
Mediterranean. The chancellorieS
In all European capitals tonight
buzzed with comment on this part
OF Hoare'S speech In which he
said:
There is q vital problem to
our trade and communications,
particularly through the narrow
seas.
II am speaking of air attack
in the narrow seas, though say
in passing that it is possible
surface raiders may still be the
greatest danger, greater even
than the danger Of air attack
and on this account an adequate
number of ships is absolutely
essential to defeat surface at
tackS on our trade"
Defensed Worked Out
Then Hoare revealed that the
naval air StaffS have worked out a
plan to meet air attacks in the
narrow SEAS" saying:
"Such a plan has been adopted
and it Is obviously confidential.
/ can, however, say that il a
threat Of air attack on our
merchant shipping in the narrow
waters developed and we decided
to adopt a convoy system, our
plans would be ready.
"A Sign of the times is that,
with view to strengthening our
escorts, we are converting old
cruisers and old destrOyers into
effective escort VesSelS.'