HITTING POWER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 760, 8 March 1910, Page 5

HITTING POWER.

GERMAN POLICY "ABOVE-BOARD AND FRIENDLY." ' DEBATE IN REICHSTAG. ily TelcEtraph—Press AsaocintloD-qoD.vrleht. Berlin, March 6. A member of the Centre, speaking in the Reichstag, deprecated the building of a navy by loan money. He recommended that efforts should bo made to terminate the rivalry in armaments. Admiral von Tirpitz, Minister for Marine, said the Government had endeavoured to adapt the Estimates to the Empire's finances. The present Estimates, wore <61,200,000 below those of 1909. Moreover 1916 .would see a conclusion of loans for shipbuilding purposes. A Socialist member urged that the navy caused political unrest, and was unjustified by the trade and the fewness of Germany's colonies. Great Britain could only conclude that , Germany's shipbuilding was directed against her. Baron von Bethmann Hollweg, Imperial Chancellor, said Germany's relations with Britain were clear, abeve-board, and friendly. "The whole world," he added, "knows our shipbuilding programme. Nothing has been done in secret, or in a fashion justifying a suspicion of menace. Germany's policy is directed solely to the free expansion of her economic and social forces." . " ' He was convinced that on the basis of honesty and frankness and freo competition among the nations, the present trustful relations with the British Government woulij continue to develop favourably, and to similarly influence the feelings of the two peoples. A BRITISH' DREADNOUGHT. (Rec. Maroh 8,'0.50 a.m.) London, March 7. The Admiralty has decided to build a Dreadnought in the dry dock ,at Portsmouth. It is estimated to cost a million sterling. BATTLESHIP SPEEDS. U.S. MICHIGAN. New York, March 6. The battleship' Michigan attained a speed of 19 2-5 knots, which is nine-tenths of a knot above her contract speed (18J knots). The Michigan, though a new ship, is .not of the latest Dreadnought type, and cannot compare either in tonnage, gunpower, or speed with, say, the United States's, North Dakota. . The two ships compare as under:— Michigan. North Dakota. Tonnage ...... 10,000 20,000 Horse-power 16,000 26,000 Length 450 ft. 510 ft. . Big guns .... 812-inch , • 1012-inch Speed 19 2-5 knots 22} knots' "World's record for a battleship.