Mr. Bridgeman said that the fear that the base would be a menace to Japan was groundless. He did not believe thet any country in the world would have gone so long, without establishing a base at Singapore, if it had been its possession." A glance ata map was sufficient to emphasize the importance of a base nearer the Far East than Malta for the repairing of vessels engaged in the. protection of trade-routes, The. base was purely defensive. It was in the nature of insurance against danger which at present could not. be foreseen.
Replying to a question regarding the proposal of President Coolidge for a disarmament conference, Mr. Bridgeman said that Britain would be only too glad if it were possible, compatible with the security of this country, to arrange anything for the lessening of the cost of armaments. Everything Britain was doing was in. accordance with.|the Washington Agreement outside which she did not desire to go. It was nonsense to say that the British action was provocative, as she had no lust for more territory. All Britaiq wanted was to develop her territories and trade. The glamour" and glory rms" did hot attract her. The British had seen. too much misery accompanying them. "The world knew that Britain wanted peace and would not think the belter of her for making gestures which would weaken her position.
The Biggest "Battleship Mr. Bridgeman added that the exact size of the floating-dock for Singapore had not yet been settled, but that it had to be large enough to dock the largest battleships. Therefore it was necessary to extend its size, which would cost £300,000. Most' of the work of enlargement would be done in Britain before it left for Singapore, it would take three years to complete it. The amount required to be spent. on the floating-dock, getting it into place and on the making of the necessary roads, ete, was estimated at £767,000. The full programme, including a graving-dock, was still being considered.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.