HIMS. Berwick and Adventure, Four Submarines and Four Destroyers Rejoining Station British warships rushed London, July 10. to the Mediterranean from Far Eastern waters on the outbreak of the Italo-Ethiopian conflict have been released from their special duty there and are returning immediately to rejoin the China Station, in accordance with the decision of the British Government to reduce to normal the strength of the British Fleet in the Mediterranean.
The China Station, it is understood, will henceforward_be kept at full strength, and, it is possible, slightly increased. Two cruisers, the Berwick and Adventure, and four submarines, the Osiris, Oswald, Pandora and Proteus, are involved in the order to return to the Far East are four "D" Class destroyers from Aden.
Meanwhile, the cruiser Cumberland, formerly attached to the Ching Station, has been completely modernized at a cost of £516,000, her outward appearance having undergone striking modification, She will return to China in September, replacing the Cornwall, which is due here on July 14, picturesque detail of the general re-arrangement is that Australia Will have the frst sight of her own cruiser, the Sydney, which held up since her launching by the emergency in the Mediterranean.
"The acceleration of Britain's defence programme is expected to have fa steadying effect on the Continent, With reference to the expense, it 1s pointed out that the Budget allowed '£25,000,000 in supplementary expenditure for defence, Hence, the now bill involves only £4,400,000 beyond the figure expected.
"AIL this will be spent within the country, and much of it will return to the "Treasury in extra yield on taxation and in reduced costs of unemployment,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.