Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, JUNE 20th., 1912. COMMAND OF MEDITERRANEAN.

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1912, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, JUNE 20th., 1912. COMMAND OF MEDITERRANEAN.

The recent announcement that the Prime Minister and the First Lord, of the Admiralty had landed at Malta to confer with Lord Kitchener and Sir lan Hamilton, the officer in command of the British defences in the Mediterranean, with reference to Britian’s position in.that sphere of international activity, has, judging by the cable messages, caused a; considerable flutter in the German dovecots. Our attitude towards the Great Powers of Europe has changed considerably during the last decade- Our hereditary foe France is now bound to us with ties of the closest friendship—an entente that is more binding than any formal alliance could ever be. Germany, a nation with whom we are bound with ties of kinship, is now looked upon as an evergrowing menace to our mastery of the seas, a mastery that is essential to our existence as a nation. , * The gravity of the naval situation may be guaged from the fact that it w : as necessary to concentrate all available British ships in the North Sea. Seven years ago the Admiralty drew a number of ships from distant water's to strengthen the Home Fleet. It is now announced that there must be a change of policy in tire Mediterranean, and that, subject to the approval of the Imperial Defence Committee-, it was agreed that modern battleships should be added to the present weak squadron of cruisers in the Mediterranean, and that some arrangements should be made whereby France should share the responsibility of protecting British interests in that sea. The Atlantic Fleet, raised in strength from six to eight battleships is being recalled from its base at Gibraltar to Home waters, and the battleships of the Mediterranean Fleet will in future be based upon Gibraltar, and their number will be eight instead of six, and a new cruiser squardon will •be associated with them. The fact that we are bringing our - battleships irr the Mediterranean nearer the danger zone is a significant one that cannot fail to impress us with the serious view the* authorities take of the naval situation. Lord Charles Beresford has entered a strong protest against the new arrangement, and in. this he is hacked up by the Daily Mail. They charge the Government with shir king tire real Mediterranean problems instead of facing them boldly, and with looking to another Power to remedy the consequences of its own neglect. Frqm Great Britain’s stand point the main point in the problem is that, while Germany’s direct challenge in the North Sea is compelling Britain to strengthen the Home Fleet, the growing sti-ength of the fleet of the remaining parties in the Triple Alliance, requires attention to be also directed to tire Mediterranean. In order to maintain tire balance of power in Europe it is essential that the naval strength of the Triple Entente in the Mediterranean should be superior to that of the Triple Alliance. “Navalis.” a writer in the National Review lakes a very serious view of the position, and strongly urges the necessity for an immediate change. “It was recently proposed,” he writes, “that the Mediterranean fleet which, under the Fisher regime, was reduced from eight? to six, should be .increased fi’om six to eight, but it was to be moved to Gibraltar and regarded as one of the squadrons of the Home Fleet. Yet if it is withdrawn from the Mediterranean the consequences will be incalculably mischievous. In a war waged by Britain against (Germany and Austria, the entire Mediterranean will be commanded by the Austrian fleet. Egypt and Malta, with their scanty garrisons will be left open to attack and capture. In a war waged by the Triple Entente against the Triple Alliance, France will be deprived of naval support which is indispensible to her, if her Algerian troops are to be moved swiftly to her Mediterranean ports and placed in line. For while

only two of her Dreadnoughts will be complete before 1916, by that year Italy will have certainly four and possibly six ready for 'sea, and Austria four. Far from weakening the Mediterranean fleet or withdrawing it, we must face the necessity of reinforcing it with Dew and powerful ships, or else of enormously strengthening the defences and the British garrisons in Malta and Egypt. Another factor, in the situation is that the Government of Italy is likely to renew the Triple Alliance within the next twelve months. Although there is a strong party in Austria, which openly advocates war with Italy, there is little doubt that the retention of Italy, with her strong and rapidly-growing navy, in the Central European alliance is earnestly desired by Germany. The power of being able to use the Italian and Australian fleets together in the Mediterranean, and thereby of compelling Britain to weaken her North Sea fleet in order to meet the necessity of safeguarding her inner line of communication with her Eastern Empire, is a power that Germany would doubtless be willing to pay for handsomely with concessions, and also with moral and material support.” As against this opinion, however, we have the statement of Ire Matin, a Paris journal, which it supports with statistics, showing that France, without Great Britain’s aid, is . able to hold absolute supremacy in the Mediterranean until 1920. As far as Italy is concerned, the position is that, while none to friendly with Austria, she must, as long as she remains a party in the Triple Alliance, be regarded as a confederate of GermanyCircumstances seem to be drawing France and Britain even closer together, an,d the necessity of overthrowing France as a preliminary to Great Britain’s downfall has been fully recognised by German strategists. General Bernhaidb the Great Russian Cavalry leader, in his book ‘‘Germany and the Next War” has laid it down as a principle that the balance of power in Europe, must be destroyed and France completely overthrown at the first favourable opportunity as a preliminary to an attack on Britain. Professor Oncken, another German writer, has insisted that Germany strengthen her army, overthrow France and thus be in a position to strike at Great Britain. We thus s--, that there is ample food for thought for those who preside over the deliberations for the weal of the. Empire.