SO Frank Allaun (Letters, July 14) wants further cuts in Britain's defences.

Let me tell readers the present strength of Britain's armed forces.

Royal Navy: three small aircraft carriers, 12 submarines, 12 destroyers, 23 frigates and no cruisers. RAF: about 350 front-line combat aircraft. Army: 110,000 troops.

These 'few' have to defend a nation of 60 million people and carry out worldwide defence commitments.

They are already inadequate. The trouble with Mr Allaun and his ilk is that they have failed to learn the lesson of the inter-war years of 1918-1939 when Britain cut its defences.

That policy led it to the brink of defeat in 1940 because of inadequate armaments.

Only recently in the Balkans we saw what happens to nations and their peoples when they have inadequate defences.

JOHN PORTER, Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle.

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