Regarding cruisers, he declared that Germany was the only country building them with 8-inch guns and Britain had no suspicion that Japan was building any.
Referring to the suggestion of Mr, Winston Churchill that Japan might have started building a type of cruiser between 10,000 and 25,000 tons, Lt.-Col. Llewellin said that at present there was no indication that Japan was doing anything of the sort, "It we found that she was," he added, "we would not hesitate to consult our fellow signatories of treaties concerning the use of the Escape Clause."
In conclusion, however, Lt.-Col. Liewellin said that he still hoped that Japan would do nothing of the sort, but would come into line with a large number of nations in the world.—Reuter, should invoke the appropriate Escape Clause of the London Naval Treaty, of 1936, which, subject to certain conditions, allows the signatory Powers to exceed the qualitative limits laid down.
Plans Not to Be Revealed Yet "The question has been referred back to the individual Governments and we are not, therefore, in a position to make an announcement as to our intentions. But if, for example, it is considered necessary to exceed a displacement of 35,000 tons for our capital ships, the House can rest assured that our plans for doing so are well advanced."
In reference to the opening of the King George V Dock in Singapore, the Minister said that in Singapore Great Britain now had a base suited to her needs in that part of the world under any circumstances.
He repeated the difficulty, alluded to by the First/Lord of the Admiralty. last year, of stating any standard of strength in terms of countries or of numerals at which the Government was aiming.
In this connection, he recalled the Prime Minister's statement on Monday that, following the recent events in Europe, review of defence requirements was being undertaken.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.