SEA POWER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 477, 8 April 1909, Page 7

SEA POWER.

GERMAN NATION'S NAVAL PROGRAMMES AUSTRIAN DREADNOUGHTS. COUNTER-CRY TO BRITISH UNITY. (BY TELEGHAI'H—riiESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Rec. April 7, 8.55 p.m.) London, April 7. The "Standard" reports that AustriaHungary has decided to build three Dreadnoughts.. This decision has given great satisfaction in Berlin, tho Germans declaring that what the British overseas dominions aro doing for tho British Empire, AustriaHungary is doing for Germany. AN EMPIRE NAVAL CONFERENCE. (Rec. April 7, 10.5 p.m.) London, April 7. In the House of Commons, tho Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, in reply to questions, intimated that any special conference on the naval defence of tho Empire would ho dependent upon agreement in that direction between the Imperial and tho Colonial Governments. The latter had not expressed a desire for such a conference. POLITICAL CAPITAL, PROTEST BY A LIBERAL PAPER. • (Rec. April 7, 10.5 p.m.) London, April 7. Tho "Daily Chronicle" (Liberal), referring to the proposals of' the Opposition for n naval campaign, says: "It is most undesirable that tho Navy should continue .to be dragged along party ruts; the fact is that there has been too much of such tactics in this matter on both sides. Tho Government, for tactical reasons, combined tho cry of 'danger' with a hypothetical way of meeting it. Tho Opposition, for tactical reasons, magnify tho danger, and reduce the hypothetical quartet of Dreadnoughts to phantom ships. "Nobody believes that only four Dreadnoughts will be the sum of the Government's programme for 1909; yet when tho Government proceed to do what they already mean to do, perhaps they will be represented as boing bullied into it. This is absurd, and ought to bo prevented." SAFE, BUT A NARROW MARCIN. PRE-DREADNOUGHT SHIPS. (Rec. April 7, 10.25 p.m.) London, April 7. Speaking at the City Liberal Club, Dr. Macnamara, Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, declared that two satisfactory features emerged from tho naval debate— first, tho determination met with among all classes to maintain the Navy unchallenged and unchallengeable; secondly, tho colonies' spontaneous recognition of their vital interest in tho Navy's supremacy. Dr. Macnamara added that tho Government's programme was sufficient to secure tho national safety. Ho' denied that by April, 1912, Germany would get ahead of Britain. He admitted that our superiority in Dreadnoughts might at times bo narrow, but ho emphasised Britain's preponderance in pro-Dreadnought ships. CANADA'S POLICY. A MARITIME RECRUITING FORCE. (Rec. April 7, 10.5 p.m.) London, April 7. A Bill creating. a Canadian naval militia or force of volunteers, from which tho future Navy may bo recruited, will shortly bo submitted, with tho Admiralty's concurrence, to the Dominion Parliament. It is hoped that the Bill will become law in 1909. AN AUSTRALIAN CIFT-SHIP. MR. DEAKIN'S NEW LIBERAL PARTY. (Rec. April 8, 0.47 a.m.) Sydney, April 7. Mr. Deakin, ex-Prime Minister, addressed a big meeting in tho Oddfellows' Hall. In a speech criticising Mr. Fisher's policy, ho blamed Mr. Fisher for not gauging the feeling of tho country better, and offering a Dreadnought. Mr. Deakin reaffirmed his intention of forming a Liberal party, the chief aims of which will be Protection, defence, and immigration. NOT HYSTERIA. OPPOSITION LEADER CONFIDENT. (Rec. April 7, 8.55 p.m.) Sydney, April 7. The Governor-General of tho Commonwealth, Lord Dudley, officially opened tho Royal Agricultural Show. Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Pooro, referring to tho proposed Australian gift-Dreadnought," said he had hoard tho movement described ar, hysterical. There could bo nothing hysterical in tho sympathy of her children towards the Mother Country. He added that whatever might bo said, ho. wished them to remember that tho bottom had not yet dropped out of the British Navy. Mr. J. Cook, Leader of tho Federal Opposition, said tho Dreadnought would go as soon as the Fedoral Parliament could speak, and it would be sent by the earnest desire of tho whole of tho people of the Commonwealth. NO PARTY POLITICS. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S VERY PLAIN HINT. (Rec. April 7, 10.5 p.m.) Sydney, April 7. At the Agricultural Show luncheon, Mr. Wade, Premier of New South Wales, and one or two other speakers referred to tho Dreadnought proposal and tho relations between tho States and the Commonwealth. Lord Dudley, in subsequently proposing tho health of tho president, said he wished tj point out that tho great thing on occasions liko those was to avoid, if possible, placing anyono in a difficult position. The Commonwealth Ministers wore his advisers, and as he expected his advisers to be loyal to him, so he hoped always to be loyal to them. It mattered not to him who was in power, whether Liberal, Labour, or any other section; he would be loyal to them, and expected them to be loyal to him. Ho hoped that on occasions of this sort political allusion, cither to Federal or State Governments, would ho avoided. He wanted to make it clear that he could only sit at gatherings where this rulo was observed. BUILDING OF DESTROYERS. London, April G. It is expected that work will he commenced on tho Australian dostroyors about the middlo of April