20 MARCH 1925
The death-roll in the Southern Illinois tornado is put, in the latest accounts, at about 1000, the number of injured at 2500, and the homeless at 10,000.
The First Lord of the Admiralty, in submitting the Navy Estimates to the House of Commons, dealt at length with the Singapore base scheme, and gave figures of cost under main heads. He emphasised the purely defensive character and purpose of the project. To talk of the British naval programme as provocative was, he said, sheer nonsense. Out of 352 warships building or projected our contribution was 20 ships.
The British Sugar Subsidy Bill was brought from the Commons and read a first time in the House of Lords. A first reading was given to the Government of India Civil Service Bill, introduced by Lord Birkenhead. The Therapeutic Substances Bill and the Merchant Shipping Equivalent Provisions Bill were read a third time.
Lord Curzon’s condition has become worse.
The Earl of Ypres (formerly Sir John French) underwent a serious operation in London.
The death is announced of Sir George Donaldson, a well-known musical amateur and art patron.