MEDITERRANEAN CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 139, 12 June 1912, Page 7

MEDITERRANEAN CONTROL

DAILY MAIL PROTEST. By Telegraph.— trees Association.- Copyright LONDON, 11th June. The Daily Mai) protests against the half-measure implied in the Malta programme, and Bayß the Government is shirking instead of boldly *acing the real Mediterranean problems, adding ; "We are not entitled to aßk another Power, however warm and sincere a friend it may be, to remedy a consequence of our negligent." fAccording to the Daily Mail, the conference at Ma\ta between Mr. Asquith, Mr. Churchill, Lord Kitchener, and Sir lan Hamilton decided that, owing to the necessity of concentrating -n the North Sea, Britain's naval and military policy in the Mediterranean must be changed. A plan was adopted which, subject to the Imperial Defence Committee's approval, proposes to add modern battleships to the at present weak squadron of cruisers in the Mediterranean, and make some arrangfimeht whereby France will share responsibility for the protection of British interests in that sea. No formal alliance, however, is contemplated. In the Sydney Sun a few days ago the following message appeared : — "The proposed alliance between Britain and France is being 1 warmly advocated in certain quarters. It is recognised that such a development of the existing AngloFrench entente would destroy any chance of good relations with Germany being maintained, and for this reason it is not desired by the Foreign Office. The Liberals ' ate anxious to cultivate closei relations with Germany, and condemn the proposal as one emanating from ■ the Unionists. Since the Moroccan crisis there has been a decided split between the two great parties over Britain'B foreign policy. The Liberals desire to live on good terms with bo,th Germany and France, but the Unionists are for an anti-German alliance, which is significant in view of the fact that the next General Election may bring the Unionists back to power. The Liberal papers are pointing out that an alliance with Franco would mean conscription in Britain."]