WHAT THE FLEET HAS DONE

Nelson Evening Mail, 8 March 1916, Page 1

WHAT THE FLEET HAS DONE

STATEMENT BY Tvlß BAI/FOUB. FOUR MILLION MEW TRANSPORTED'. • (Rec. March 8. 3."40 p.m.) LONDON, i.Jarch 7. Mr Balfour, in introducing the Naval Estimates, said lie only proposed to giye a general impression of the course 'the Admiralty was pursuing. There were no , German cruisers in a position, to face British oanrmerco an any ocean. No. details of particular ships could "be discussed. At present our fleet was not an internal one, and it was (not merely British. Many nations depended 1 upon us. The goods and men transported* in-' eluded 1,000.000' 'norses and other animals, 2,500,000 tons "of stores, 22,000,000 gallons of "oil and 4,000,000 men. The Admiralty was not carrying .out ■ _ a policy different from predecessors. Since the war began the .personnel of the Navy had doubled, and the itonnago had Increased over 1,000,000 tons. Tb'e ' ■strength of the air division; of -.itflva Navy was tenfold. The fii'st -problem was to maintain the Grand Fleet- at an adequate superiority to every force that could be brought against j&: . '• The Navy and the expeditionary force had achieved all they could expect. .- > No* .one coujd predict .the-, f. lative value of "Zeppelins -and _ aeroplanes*; The Government was airship® . , in order to assis the fleet', by but it was difficult to find .housing." 4 . , • ' Since the outbreak of -hostilities * the v production of warships- had : been "un-, .* . precedented. .'' .' .V* , !.'"'"« v >/-»