A SCHEME THAT MISCARRIED

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9623, 31 March 1917, Page 8

A SCHEME THAT MISCARRIED

GERMAN ADMIRAL’S BOASTFUL PROPHECY. An article published by the Freuou newspaper “L© Matin ' in April, ILL is of interest as showing tfco trend of wei> man naval thought with regard to the future of Australia and New Zealand. The correspondent of "Le- Matin tn Basle, Switzerland, related .that in April. 19U, Admiral Browsing, of the German Navy, lectured at Basle under the auspices of the German Navy League. He pictured the next war and assumed confidently that Italy and Japan would be allied with Germany. “Italy's task,'' he said, will be twofold—her fleet will neutralise the power of the French fleet. For this purpose it is of ample strength, even without; the help of Austria. As to her army, from Tripoli it will march on Egypt. Along the coast are magnificent paved roads, constructed by the Romans. Italy will dispatch 120,0tH) men. who will find ro difficulty in wiping out the 13,000,English quartered in Egypt." The desert, the climate, th© Araos, and the British fleet, were as nothing in the.eyes of the warlike admiral. As to Japan, he revealed to ms audi. ence that, in spite of her seeming alliance with Britain- sho was strongly averse to British policy. “There is no doubt that in case of war the Japanese fleet would bear an expeditionary force into the South Pacific to take possession of Australia and New Zealand. "Will Germany's aims be confined to a merely successful war? No," continued Admiral Browsing. "The 80,000,000 souls we shall shortly number need colonies—a vast colonial Empire. We shall not repeat the scandalous Agadir fiasco, that shameful business wherein we had to renounce our'designs on Morocco before An English threat. We must increase, nay double our navy, in order to conquer and defend our oversea possessions of which we have need. We should consider no sacrifice too heavy for that. 'On for God and our country!' as old Bluoher said 100 years ago.”