THE CRUISER PROGRAMME INSUFFICIENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 66, 18 March 1911, Page 5

THE CRUISER PROGRAMME INSUFFICIENT.

(Received 1 Marchl7, 11.30 p.m.) IX>NDON, March 17. 'Mr McKenna added1 that the Rosyth Rase would b© ready in 1915. Mr Lee, Unionist, said the spring of "1914 w-ou|£t be,eritical. Groat Britain -•would then have(;29 "Dread!noughts" -,in European waters to the Triple . Alliance's'"29. There was no margin ■in case of aoeidonts. The cruiser prp;,;granrma -was lamentably insufficient 'in view of the threatened privateer^ " ing peril' if the" "Declaration was rati-* rfiecL . . .;■• i ;. :^:■'■:■■. ■/.:> ■.■ ■ . ;., ■

-M-r G. H/'Roberts jjipTed an amend- • mentr-Dhafc"foreign events did; not war- : rant bier easing thie , expenditure, ■ whichwas aimenodeto security. "Mr '"■B&lfemr, in a speech arousing intense-interest, said that he felt like the others. 'In the constantly increasing Estimates more than national in--convonienoe must' bo endured to avoid •■the risk of'disaster. If "diplomacy and i;so'ft words could accomplish anything, 'by all means \let >if be tried1 again, ■ meanwhile the' hard ' facts regarding ~191'4 as detailed rby Mr* Lee must be 4£aee3. 'Besides the responsibilities in *dther <^arts of the world they must ■maintain the supremacy of the Mcdi"No other nation" bad such :-A;task'. ■ .''■ ';'■.-■' i, ■ .

Mr'McEenna, interposing, said the Admiralty wotild not accept Mr" Lee's ■forecast. . .

Mr , next referred to Mr 'Taft's suggestion -to extend the- existing treaties for arbitration, in order ■to, include points of national honor /equally with 'those of national in=torests. The suggestion "deserved1 care'fdl consideraition, arid'-whether or not iit W£>s realisable generally, there was no reason. why kindred communities \like Gretib Britain and' the United iStates should not enter' into such an j«rr®ngemeirt.