THE RIVAL FLEETS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 168, 15 July 1908, Page 5

THE RIVAL FLEETS.

RACE FOR DREADNOUGHTS. BRITAIN'S PREPONDERANCE. NO TRIFLING WITH THE NAVY. T?y Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright) LONDON, July 14, In the House of Commons last evening, the shipbuilding vote -was agreed to in Committee of Supply, after a debate largely concerning the inevitable increase m expenditure in the future. Mr. A. H. Lee earned the Government that if it failed to fulfil the pledge given in March, the country would show them that it would stand no trifling with the navy. Mr. McKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty), in reply, said he would not carry the question beyond Mr. Asquith's declaration made in Marcli, when he argued that Britain would by 1911 have eight Dreadnougnts and four new great cruisers, compared with Germany's seven Dreadnoughts and two Invincibles. He admitted that the preponderance was insufficient if we had nothing else to rely upon, but our superiority in battleships of the Dreadnought type was incontestable. Mr. McKenna added that the essential was to obtain absolutely complete security, but it would be mere waste to go an inch beyond that. He promissd that if the Admiralty were satisfied, the new ships would be laid down exceptionally early in 1909, their plans being now ready. COMMONWEALTH SCHEME. ADMIRALTY CONSTRUCTION. LONDON, July 14. Speaking in the House of Commons, in reply to Mr. W. Redmond, Mr. McKenna said that it was quite natural that the Commonwealth should wish to have its own sctieme of naval defence, and the Government was perfectly willing to assist the Commonwealth in devising such a scheme. What Australia had now proposed, however, was a mere outline upon which no action could .be taken. The scheme would require very considerable development and modification before it would become practicable. A communication had, Mr. McKenna continued, been addressed to the Commonwealth, stating that the Commonwealth scheme was being inquired into, and that the Admiralty was seeking to construct the best scheme. The Admiralty hoped if it was not possible to frame a scheme of their own, to amplify the scheme proposed, and then come to an arrangement with the Commonwealth, but delay in the circumstances was essential. No alternative scheme had been put forward, because the Admiralty was quite content to adhere to the present arrangement, but was anxious to help the Commonwealth, and was now endeavouring to do so ey constructing a scheme on the outlines which had been suggested.