At this point, the Prime "Minister turned to the animadversions, which had been heard abroad, on British rearmament, and he asked why a different standard was being applied to Great Britain in this matter.
He added, however, a repetition, which he clearly thought should have been unnecessary, of the assurances of Great Britain's peaceful intent.
"I would repeat here, categorically," Mr. Chamberlain declared, "that we have no aggressive intention against Germany or any other country.
"Our sole concern is to see the country and her Imperial communications safe and that we shall not be so weak, relatively, to other countries that our diplomacy cannot enter on discussions on an equal footing.
"There is nothing further from our minds than to enter upon a new armaments race," he said.
Mr. Chamberlain pointed out that Great Britain aimed at limitation of armaments by agreement and, in the. end, at the practical abolition of armaments, but "that was looking very far ahead, and I shall not see it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.