The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 15. 1919.

Evening Star, Issue 16993, 15 March 1919, Page 6

The Evening Star SATURDAY, MARCH 15. 1919.

Some weeks since a somewhat startling and sensational report was Font tram overseas to tho effect that there had been momentary troubles among the petty officers and crew on board a British warship then in port. Beyond the one- message nothing further was heard, and the presumption was that the statement, if true, had been inquired into and settled. It lrft, however, brief and temporary as it was, a disagreeable, possibly in some cases an anxious, feeling' behind. Was there any truth in tho iepori.; ar.rl, it' so. what were the grounds on which it was basxi ? It foiiceiw.'d, if wo remember rightly, the question of pay. This, it was alleged, was both inadequate and insufik'icnt to maintain existing. Yv't regret, not for tho first time, th.it we nrc not in a position to give a dear denial to the charge. The pay both ox officers Mid men never has been adequate. For nearly a generation, if not more, that of seamen has been scandalously low. Neither in food, clothing-, nor 'money has their pay before' the war been commensurate w ; th their work and responsibilities. After the war they were granted an increase in 1917 ranging from 2d to scl a day, which from no possible standpoint can bo regarded Vt satisfactory, much less generous. It is not, we gather, tho Admiralty that L; to blame, but the Treasury; and in the past it was the Little Navy men who were everlastingly girding at the Government and the Admiralty to cut down tho cost of the Navy. The one sure remedy was that both officers' and lowerdeck grievances should Jfcjo strongly, consistently, and thoroughly represented in the House of Commons. This, we believe, lias been done. Many ex-service members were returned to Parliament last December ; and these, during the debate on the Naval Estimates, took the opportunity of urging the granting of more commissions to tho lower-deck and of more pay to officers and men alike. Tho Secretary of the Admiralty took an ameliorative- view of their demands, and promised them sympathetic consideration. It would be intolerable if the existing condition of affairs were to continue much longer. What is to be tho future of the British Navy? Is it to be reduced or brought to a level with that of, say, America, or continued at its present average of superiority over that of every other Power? Again it is hardly possible to give a positive answer. The bulk of expert opinion is that whatever happens Britain must retain and maintain her supreme Navy. &hj& has proved its value as the guardian and saviour of the. world's freedom, and has vindicated its nonaggressive character. No navy has been

The Navy in its Needs.

attacked that did not first attack her. On the other hand, there has been talk of the- United States of America building a navy that shall in time equal that of England. But only in the ovont of certain contingencies. Bear-AdmiraJ Badger, of tho United State Navy, was asked by the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives whether, " if England gets tho lion's share of the German ships, do you still think we should build to tho point where- we .should havo a navy equal to hors?" Tho Admiral's reply affirmed tho necessity of tho United States navy equalling by 1921 the most powerful navy maintained by any nation. It is hardly possible to regard so emphatic a declaration with complacency, and already there tiro signs that England ia prepared to fall in with almost any rational proposal rather than that there should again be a renewal of that mad expenditure in and competition on naval armaments such as have already caused so much wanton waste, bloodshed, and destruction. Britain, it is said, is prepared to destroy her share of the Gorman fleet rather than its rotention should provoke America to naval rivalry. Why America should deem it essential to her safety and well-being to embark upon the construction of a navy that shall equal that of any other navy the world over is purely a metter for her to decide. " Have England and America enough ships to police the world?" tiskod one-'member of Admiral Badger. "Yes, 1 think so," replied the Admiral. "Is it necessary, therefore, to build any more ships if certain conditions are brought about?" he was askod, and the answer was: "Not if we are going to allow some other nation to look after our interests." Will this be done? Is it vital to the future safety and peace of the world that Britain and America should enter upon a strenuous policy of friendly (?) competition? We recall that Lord Rosebery somo time ago expressed regret that eithor Mr Wilson or Mr Daniels had committed himself to some such statement. It ia surely not imperative that yet another Tower should enter the arena of naval competition. Viscount Grey, one of tho wisest and the most trusted of British statesmen, speaking last December, said: "He saw no ,Bison whatevet why the naval policies of the United States and Great Britain should not only not come into conflict, but be in close co-operation. This should be comparatively easy, provided the peoples wero perfectly frank on both sides, and did not let misunderstandings grow up as to what each mean." From this dictum few will care- to dissent.