THE GREAT MANŒUVREB.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 158, 4 July 1906, Page 5

THE GREAT MANŒUVREB.

A CONCLUSION REACHED.

EITOHLAND NOT IMTUimSRABLE. BY7T ENEMY'S POWER DESTROYED. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 7.46 a.m.) LONDON, July 3. The naval manoeuvres, which have been proceeding on an unprecedented scale for the past few weeks, with the object of testing the liability, of England to sudden attack, and the safety of her seaborne commerce in war-time, have just closed, i i The two fleets, it may be remembered, were the Red-for British) and the Blue ior hostile). The Red, commanded by Admiral Sir Arthur K. Wilson, V.C. . (associated with Admirals Beresford and Bosanquet), consisted of the Channel Fleet, the Mediterranean Fleet, the Ist, 3rd and 4th Cruiser Squadrons, and cerr tain ships of the Reserve Division; , while the hostile Blues, commanded by Admiral Sir W. H. May, were made up of the Atlantic Fleet, 2nd .Cruiser Squadron and certain ships of the Reserve Division. Briefly, the British force included some 25 battleships, and the enemy's force rather less than half as .many, but five of the latter were of the largest aaid most modern King Edward VII. type. The result, as given by the experts, is of the graatest possible interest and importance, and may be briefly stated as fellows:— Admiral May's hostile fleet, though losing several battleships, evaded a decisive encounter, and, using oil fuel, shook oil' their pursuers, obtained temporary command of the English Channel, and threatened to bombard the English ports failing indemnities. Admiral Wilson, commanding the Home Fleet, on the ottfer hand, claims, .that he succeeded in destroying the enemy's power and crippling his commerce, while the destruction of his (the enemy's) fleet was assured. [Apparently the conclusions above are not official, but as an expert statement of the case they will, of course, el&ini instant credit. ; The conclusion is, briefly, that England is not invulnerable to the greatest of the greatest of naval Powers (its attacking strength being based upon the understanding that England is at the absolute minimum equal to two possible foes), but that she would retaliate heavily and paralyse the enemy before he could follow up his advantage.]