Two Voices on the Navy.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14901, 14 February 1914, Page 10

Two Voices on the Navy.

The statement by Mr Winston Churchill as to the recent increases in the German Navy, reported .in our cable news this morning, should be contrasted with a passage in the mischievous interview with Mr * Lloyd George that ■ appeared in the "Daily Chroniclo" at the end of December. Mr Lloyd George gave as one of his reasons for thinking that the time was ripe for an overhauling of expenditure on armaments, that Continental nations were directing their energies more and moro to the strengthening of their land forces: —

For years Germany seemed to have set her heart upon, and put her best thoughts into, the development of her naval power. But the experience of the last two years has reminded ber of a lesson which all European nations have had from time to time to learn. And that is that ifa country concentrates its energies upon one branch of its defensive forces,, it is generally at the expense of the other. . . <. 'That is why I feel convinced that, even if Germany ever had any idea of challenging our supremacy at sea, the exigencies of the military situation must necessarily put it completely out of her head.

So says Mr Lloyd George, who, of course, is very far from being- an authority on naval affairs. But Mr Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, tells us that

Since the introduction of the British Estimates in March, 1910, there had been no Tetardation of Germany's naval construction. Her programme had increased by three battleships and two small cruisers. One of those battleships was provided for in the 1913 pro■grnmme, and the second in that for 1918.

Mr Lloyd George's statement about naval activity abroad rested on no solid foundation. The truth is that naval as well as military expenditure abroad will show an increase during the present year. The naval correspondent ot* the "Daily Telegraph" demolishes the flimsy creation of Mr Lloyd George's political ambition by pointing out that in the last six years Great Britain has spent in building and arming new men-of-war 81. millions, while Germany has spent 63. millions, showing a* British advantage of less than 29 per cent., whereas Great Britain is supposed to maintain a margin of 60 per «mt. in large armoured ships and higher standards for smaller craft. Great Britain, it is true, has had an initial advantage in older ships, but this advantage is quickly diminishing. Mr Lloyd George said or implied that Germany was tired of the race, because he wished to be- - lieve she was. He is really no more

reliable on naval matters than ho is on deer forests, but unfortunately his comments fn the one may be much more harmful than his ©motionaL outbursts in the other. The figure from athletics that the "Spectator" is so fond of using makes an admirable comment on statements like the Chancellor's. "What "makes a runner behind redoublo his " efforts is not * spurt by the .man in " front, i but the relaxation of the "efforts of the man with the lead."