THE NAVAL CRISIS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 678, 30 March 1909, Page 5

THE NAVAL CRISIS.

REASSURING WORDS. THE PRE-DREADNOUGHT FLEET. SAFETY FULLY ASSURED. (Press Association.—By Telegraph.— Copyright). London, Yesterday. MrT. J. Maonamara, Secretary to the Admiralty, denies that there is a likelihood of Germany getting ahead of England. By April, 1912, the margin would possibly be small but the pre-Dreadnouglit fleet and the Government's programme fully assured the national safety.

DREADNOUGHTS ON PAPER. Mr Runoiman. President of the Board of Eduoation, speaking at Oolohester, denounced the naval agitation as "an artificially inflated scare." He deolared that the British navy was impregnable. No German Dreadnoughts were yet afloat and Germany had only twofiftha of our number of available sailoiß. The Government's motto in naval affairs was "safety without superfluity.!' A PROPHET HONOURED. A MEMBER'S WARNING. Lieut. 0. N. Bellairs, Liberal member for King's Lynn, whom the Liberal Association repudiated, obtained, at a meeting of his constituents, a unanimous resolution of confidence, which deolared that the anxiety of the oonnfcry and Empire regarding naval snpremaoy proved that his warnings were right, and he had earned the gratitnde of his countrymen.

MR ASQUITH'S SPEECH.

SILENCING OPPOSITION IN LIBERAL RANKS.

LABOURITES' MESSAGE TO GERMANY.

"WE HAVE NO QUARREL,"

London, Last Night. Mr Keir Hardie, the Labour leader, speaking at Merthyr Tydvil, said the effect of Mr Asqulth's speeoh in the House of Commons, was such as he had never seen before, resulting in a scare, making it easy for the Government to beat down opposition in its own ranks and to obtain further expenditure on the navy.

Mr Hardie announced that 25 members of the Labour party were going to Germany at Whitsuntide to tell Germans: "You and we Jiafe no qnarrel."

ADMIRAL SOOJT'S VIEWS.

ACCURATE GUNNERY WANTED.

Admiral Sir Peroy Scott, in a speeoh, declared that the value of the .fleets depended more on their hitting, power than' numbers. The Indomitable, with eight gnns, made double the number of hits made by the Dreadnought with ten. / ■

NEW ZEALAND'S GIFT.

MAYOR OF SYDNEY'S CONGRATULATIONS.

Sydney, Yesterday,

The Lord Mayor, on behalf of the citizens of Sydney, has oabled to Sir Joseph Ward oongratualting him on New Zealand's offer to Britain, and adding," Australia has no alternative but to follow your lead.."

LEADING THE WAY. Reoeived March 29,11.50 p.m. Loudon, Last Night. The J'peotator declares that no part of the Empire will grudge New Zealand the honour of leading the way. It is appropriate that the Island Dominion should be the first to turn its thonghts to ships.

WHAT AUSTRALIA WILL DO. FORECAST OV MR PIbHER'S SPEECH, PROVIDING FOR LOOAL DEFENCE. COMPULSORY TRAINING. Sydney, Yesterday. Mr Fisher's polioy speeoh will probably indicate that the aim of the Government will be to provide in the coarse of time snoh a fleet in Australian waters that the Imperial squadron may be withdrawn and that if necessity arise the Australian navy may undertake the dnty of patrolling the Sooth Seas and policing the islands. He may indicate that as a start more torpedoers and three or four submarines will be added to the boats already ordered. It is aIBO expected that he will deolare in lavour of a modified soheme of oompnlsory training and is expected to propose either a land or property tax for defence purposes.