INDIA'S GIFT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 523, 4 December 1912, Page 5

INDIA'S GIFT.

TO THE BRITISH NAVY. COST OF EIGHTEEN MILLIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyrisrhl London, Monday. Great interest has been aroused by a proposed gift of 12 warships to the Empire's navy from India. The Daily Telegraph states that the scheme was conceived at the time of tthe visit of Mr R. L. Borden, Canadian Prime Minister, to London. Several princes were approached, and the approval was obtained of the Maharajah of Alwar, Sir Jai Singh; and the Maharaajh of Whalawar, Sir Bhawani Singh. The Maharajah? of Bhavanga, Bikanar, Jaipmur, Kashmir. Jodhir, Limbdi, Mewar, Mysote, Nepal, and Rewa were then communicated with. They favoured the plan, as they considered it would be a demonstration of India's loyalty to the Empire. The promoters of the idea regretted that Mr Winston Churchill threw cold water on it by saying that he thought it impracticable at the moment. "But we were not discouraged," the princes state, "and we proceeded with our plans, which were received with enthusiasm in India." The Indian Office is without information regarding the offer. The practicability of the scheme is doubted in many quarters. The battleships would cost £6.750,000, and the battle cruisers £18,000,000, or if only armoured cruisers £11,250,000. It is impossible that the princes can find this amount, and it is not desirable to tax the natives. GERMANY~NOT PERTURBED. Berlin, Monday. The news of the Indian offer created the liveliest interst in the lobbies of the Reichstag. General Liebert, the pan-German leader, said that it was extraordinarily interesting, but it would not stampede Germany into fresh naval legislation. As the British fleet was so distributed, Germany was convinced that she cuuld hold her own in home waters. The policy towards England would be friendly at the expense of a lesser nation, perhaps Portugal. j