MAINLY UNFRIENDLY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 69, 21 March 1912, Page 7

MAINLY UNFRIENDLY

CRITICISM OF MR. CHURCHILL'S NAVY SPEECH GERMAN PAPERS RESENT PRESUMPTION. WHAT ENGLISHMEN OVERLOOK. By Telegraph.— Press Association,— Copyright. (Received March 21, 8 a.m.) BERLIN, 20th March. Press comments on the Navy speech by Mr. Churchill, British First Lord of the Admiralty, are generally unfavourable. The papers resent the presumption of instruction to Germany on her naval necessities. The Kreuz Zeitung (Conservative) states that the kernel of the speech was that England mainly builds to prevent Germany's further expansion as a world Power. The journal says it is willing to consider a diplomatic agreement to limit building in a given year in the proportion of two ships to one. The Vossiche Zeitung (Liberal) remarks that Englishmen overlook the fact that Germany ha* other considerations than Britain. FRENCH PRESS. MR. CHURCHILL'S FRANKNESS APPLAUDED. (Received March 21, 8.5 a.m.) PARIS, 20th March. The prea* applauds Mr. Churchill's frankness in connection with Navy matters. MEDITERRANEAN FLEET. CHANGE OF BASE. LONDON, 20th March. Mr. Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, stated in the House of Commons yesterday that the Mediterranean battle «quadron would shortly be based on Gibraltar instead of Malta, as at present. DESIRE FOR AN UNDERSTANDING. ON PART OF GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER. ALSO ThFkAISER. (Received March 21, 9 a.m.) BERLIN, 20th March. The Berliner Tageblatt (Liberal) say» that the resistance of Admiral yon Tirpitz, Minister for the Navy, prevented Herr yon Kiderlen-Waechter, Secretary for Foreign Affaire, from expressing in the Navy Bill a desire for an understanding with England, which the Kaiser also desires. The Koelnische Zeitung (a NationalLiberal provincial journal) declares the pessisimistic views, regarding Mr. Churchill's ipeech, are not shared in official quarters. They are not regarded as a challenge or being intended to impede pending negotiations. AN OCCUPATION FLEET. The British fleet in the Mediterranean is now what may be described as an occupation fleet rather than as a fleet to enforce the British position as a maritime Power. This is owing to an arrangement with France, whereby France maintains two active squadrons in the Mediterranean, the reserve being kept for the Channel, where Britain 'has concentrated her main fleet, though it gonerally is exercised further east in the North Sea. At present the Britieh Mediterranean Meet i» weak, and has been so since Lord Fjsher'e concentration policy, a movement compatible with ordinary common sense when working in conjunction with France. The Mediterranean fleet at present is composed as follows : — Battleships: — Exmouth (Captain S. Nicholson and chief of staff), Cornwallis (Captain R. S. Anstruther), Russell (Captain G. W. Smith), Duncan (Captain F. L. Field), each 14,000 tons, 4 12-mch and I<4 6-inch guns, 19 knots ; Swiftsure (Captain C. F. Tower), Triumph (Captain A. W. Waymouth), each 11,800 tons, 4 10inch, 14 7.5-inch guns, 20.6 knotej all these are very weakly armoured. Armoured Criusere, Sixth Cruiser Squadron : Bacchante (Captain R. T. Tyrrwhite), Aboukir (Captain C. E. Hunter), each 12,000 tons, 2 9.2-inch, 12 6-inch guns, 22.6 knots ; Lancaster (Captain H. H. D. Tolwill), Suffolk (Captain E. V. Moubray), each 9800 tons, 14 6inch guns, 23 knots ; these ships are weakly armoured. Attached Ships : Diana (Captain A. H. Candy), Minerva (Captain E. Hyde Parker), each 5600 tons, 11 6-inch guns, 20 knots ; Barham (Commander R. G. A. Stapleton-Cotton), Medea (Captain G. M. JKeane), old, small, and weak cruisers. Torpedo gunboat Hussar (Commander N. W. Diggle). There are attached eleven destrpyers, of which cix are of the " River " 'type, and it is intended to replace the other five by next March j also at Malta there are three submarines, and at Gibraltar three- more — " 8"6,7, 8, and "B" 9, 10, 11. Admiral Sir E. S. Poe, X.C.V.0., ia in command ; Rear-Admiral Jerrom is second in command of the battleship fleet; Rear-Admiral Sir Douglas Gamble, who began the training of the Turkish fleet in 1908, commands the cruiser squadron. Vice-Admiral Simons is in command of the dockyard at Malta.