HIGHWAYS OF THE SEA.

Mataura Ensign, 18 March 1909, Page 4

HIGHWAYS OF THE SEA.

* UIUTLSH NAVAL ESTIMATES. WHAT GISiiMAN Y IS DO I NIL BT KLIiCTIMO Tl.l.l'.dKAl'lJ. COPYUHUrr, I'JSB UNI'I'IiU i'BliSß ASSOCIATION. LONDON', March 17. The llouse of Commons whs crowded on the occasion of Air 11. McKenna (First Lord of the Admiralty) 'introducing the Naval i Estimates. The disquieting ell'eet which Mr Halfour's detached, non-party. criticisms and Sir Asquith's grave admissions had produced was intensified by the attitude of the majority o( the lteduction of Armaments Committee and the Labor Party having shaken the resolve lo vote against the increase.

Mr Mclvenna admitted that the Jlo,st imates required tho strongest justilicat'ion from a Government pledged to peace, retrenchment and i reform, but the limits of the British Navy were lixed by those of other Powers. Germany was so hastening her shipbuilding that thirteen Dreadnoughts iuslead of nine .would bo completed in P.lll. Great Britain would then have sixteen, bul, it was possible that Germany would complete four more by April, 1912. There was necessity for Great Britain ordering guns and armour to enable her to complete four extra b v March 1.1U2. Mr Mclvenna continued that in 1907 Iherc were only two ships in the German Navy capable of holding their own against the Dreadnought*; now there were fourteen, and three were in the course of construction. Moreover, Krupps and other firms were now able, to supply component parts for eight shipg in a single, year. The resources of British firms were (axed to retain supremacy in rapidity and volume of construction. The Dreadnought and Invincible types were not. the only vessels, but in case of war it would be impossible to recall cruisers from foreign service, Iho.v being necessary to keep open the highways of the sea. The life of the King Fdward VII. and Formidable types of vessels had been shortened, linmgh tliev wore not obsolete. CKU.MANY'S PROGHAALMK.

.Mr A. •!. Balfour emphasised the fact that Germany laid down eight Dreadnoughts iu 1.908, and lie quoted the .Minister for Marine's statement in the Ueichstag: "We can build as fast, as the English." Assuming this to be true, Mr Balfour said that in December, 1910, Great Britain would have ten Dreadnoughts and Germany thirteen; in July, 1911, Great Britain would have fourteen iind Germany seventeen. Mr Balfour continued, that for the lirst time in 'modern history Great Britain .was facing a situation so new and dangerous that it was diflicult) to realise all its import. Bordering on our waters was a Power with the capacity - and the .will to competo wtith our Navy. The Government's programme was utterly insullieient, and he asked the House lo adopt a resolution not for a I wo-l'ower standard which would be beyond question, but the one-Power standard in ships of the lirst-class. which seemed to be slipping from our grasp. .Mr 11. 11. Asquith I Prime Minister), replying to Mr Balfour, admitted that the hypothesis upon which the last naval programme was based had been falsilied by events. The Government had been greatly surprised in November to learn thai Germany was hastening Ihe const ruction of four Dreadnoughts. It was now untrue that Germany would take thirty months to build a ship. Great Britain would 'take twentyfour There hud been such enormous development in \ facilities for ship building; in Germany, and provision for gun-mountings, turrets and armaments that Great Britain no longer held I lie advantage. .Mr Asiplilli, dealing with Mr llalfour's estimates, slated that Germany had given explicit anil most distinct declaration that, she does not intend to further accelerate her naval programme. Though this was not a pledge in the sense of an agreement., and it was therefore impossible to put it before Parliament, the Government programme was based upon the assumption that, the declaration would not be carried out. There was no possibility of an arrangement with Germany for mutual reduction. Kliorls in that direction had been made but had failed. If Germany accelerated building, Great. Britain would have lime during the year lo make the necessary provision for meeting it. Replying lo Mr Balfour Mr MeKeniin staled thai he believed that only the material and armaments were being collected for tvro of four Dreadnoug'hls, the construction of which it. was -proposed to hasten. Mr Balfour and tMr Asquith both regretted the necessity 'for comparisons with 'Germany, and insisted that they did not imp|\ thai the re let ions were strained.