BRITISH DEFENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16491, 5 March 1914, Page 7

BRITISH DEFENCE.

BRITANNIA AIRSHIP FUND. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, March 3. The Britannia Airship Committee has opened an appeal for funds in India, Canada and the' Australian States. It offers to construct a similar vessel at a cost price of £15,000 for Australia or New Zealand, all Britishmade, with many new features. Mr Churchill will accept the Britannia for the Navy if the scheme is successful. DISPLACEMENT OF BRITISH SHIPS. A COMPARISON WITH GERMANY. LONDON, March 3. Mr Churchill, in reply to Mr J. Allen Baker, concerning the British and German shipbuilding programmes, said that the displacements of all British battleships were considerably below those of almost all the latest being constructed abroad. The Admiralty was willing to join in an agreement, limiting the size and capital value of ships. SUPPLEMENTARY NAVAL ESTIMATES PASSED. (Received March 4, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 3. The supplementary naval estimates were passed. A GERMAN ACCUSATION. (Received March 5, 12.35 a.m.) * BERLIN, March 4.

Count Reventlow accuses the British Admiralty of systematically understating the size of capital ships. He adds that the German navy always has followed approximately British displacement. Germany gladly would refrain from further increases or would reduce if the British Admiralty set a real, not a paper, example.