NAVAL RIVALRY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13376, 18 March 1909, Page 7

NAVAL RIVALRY.

THE GERMAN MENACE. DEBATE ON THE ESTIMATES. GRAVE SITUATION. SERIOUS GOVERNMENT ADMISSIONS.

United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received March 17th, 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, March 17. Mr McKenna, First Lord of tho Admiralty, introduced the Naval Estimates in a crowded House. Mr McKenna's statement had a disquieting effect-, which Mr Balfour's detached' non-party criticisms and Mr Asquith's grave admissions intensified. The majority of tho Reduction of Armaments Committee, and of the Labour Party, were shaken in their resolve to vote against tho proposed increase. Mr McKenna admitted that the estimates required the strongest, justification from a Government pledged to peaoe and retrenchment and social reform, but tho limits of the British Navy wero fixed by other Powers. Germany was so hastening her shipbuilding that thirteen Dreadnoughts instead of nine would be completed by 1911. Great Britain would then have sixteen, but it was possible that Germany would complete foiir more by April, 1912. Thero wes a necessity for Great Britain ordering guns and armour to enabl© her to complete four extra ships by March, 1912. In 1907 only two ships in tlie German navy were oapabl© of fighting tho Dreadnoughts, now thero wero fourteen, and three in course of construction. Moreover, Krupp's and other firms were now ablo to supply tlie component parts of eight ships in a single year, and th© resources of British firms were taxed to retain supremacy in rapidity and volume of construction. Vessels of the Dreadnought and Invincible types wero not th© only vessels in the Navy, but in case of war it would be impossible to recall cruisers from foreign service, they being necessary to keep open the highways of sea life. Th© lives of th© King Edward VII. and Formidable types of vessels had been shortened, though they wero not obsolete.

Mr Balfour emphasised tho fact that Germany had laid down eight Dreadnoughts in 1908, and quoted the Minister of Marine's statement in tho Reichstag that Germany could build as fast as tho English. Assuming this to bo true, in December, 1910, Great Britain would have ten Dreadnoughts to Germany's thirteen, and in July, 1911, Great Britain would have fourteen to Germany's seventeen.

Mir Balfour went on to say that for tho first time in modern history Great Britain -was facing a situation 60 new and dangerous, that it was difficult to realiso all its import. Bordering on out waters was a Power with the capacity and will to compete with our navy. Tho Government's programme was utterly insufficient. He asked the House to adopt a resolution, not for a two-Power standard, the need for which was beyond question, hut for a one-Power standard in ships of the first class supremacy in which seemed to be slipping from our grasp.

Mr Asquith, replying, admitted that the hypotheses upon which tho last naval progrnmmo was based had been falsified by eyents. The Government had been greatly surprised in November to learn that Germany was hastening the construction of four Dreadnoughts. It was now untrue to say that Germany took thirty months to build a ship and Great Britain took twenty-four. There had been such enormous development of slips for shipping in Germany, ana provision for gun mountings, turrets, and armaments, that Great Britain no longer held the advantage. Dealing with Mr Balfour's estimates, he stated that Germany had given an explicit and most distinct declaration that she did not intend to further accelerate her naval programme. Though this was not a pledge in the sense of an agreement and it was impossible to put it before Parliament,, the Government's programme had been based, upon the assumption that tho declaration would bo carried out. There was no possibility of an arrangement with Germany for mutual reduction of armaments. Efforts in that direction had been made, and had failed. If Germany accelerated her building, wo would havo time during the year to make necessary provision for nine ships. Replying to Mr Balfour, Mr McKenna stated that he believed that material and armaments were being collected for only two of the four German Dreadnoughts, the construction jof which it was proposed to hasten. Mr Balfour and Mr Asquith both regretted the necessity of comparisons with Germany, and insisted that they did not imply that relations were srained.