SHREDDED TO ATTENUATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10211, 22 February 1919, Page 7

SHREDDED TO ATTENUATION

DRAMATIC MAIN CLAUSE OF .ALLIES' TERMS

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. United Service Telegram. (Received February 21, 7.10 p.m.) PARIS', February 19. The main clauses of he Allies terms, which have reached the final stage- for inclusion in the Peace preliminaries, will be found of dramaticinterest. They not only drastically destroy the last remnants of German naval power, but also show how the respective navies will fare under the League of Nations. Germany will bo compelled to hand over immediately eight more battleships (including the Oldenburg, Heligoland, and others in their classes), eight cruisers of the Strassburg class, forty-two modern destroyers, and fifty torpedo-boats; as well as all remaining submarines. All sorts of warships in course of construction must bo stopped, and vessels under construction or repair must bo broken up under British supervision.. All the above ships are to be destroyed within three months, and submarines within fifteen days.

The intention seems to be to burn into the German mind that guns have failed them.

Auxiliary cruisers are to be dismantled of warlike material, which will ho destroyed, and -the ships then classed as ordinary merchantmen, and included in the list of prizes which will be considered in payment of reparation. .Material which is commercially useful will be saved, but anything that cannot be utilised will be sunk or exploded. . Thus ends Germany's naval ambitions. She is reduced to a tew warships, about enough to police her dwindling coastline, and that is where the Powers forming the initial League of Nations mean to keep her. The scale of construction permitted her will be narrow. _ How other navies will stand under the League Covenant is indefinite, but it obviously forecasts reductions. The Allies would havo divided the German fleet amongst themselves instead of destroying it, had _this imperative demand for saving money on armaments not been recognised. The decision to destroy the German fleet has still to be finally ratified, but it is -thought certain that this course will be followed. Obviously., the British, American, Japanese, and French Navies will remain the only great fleets; and though sorao nebulous understanding already exists concerning their respective strengths, there need be no trepidation that British policy will surrender Britain's predominance. Every British delegate recognises that it is vital to sustain the British naval power, in spite of the League of Nations. Britain will probably be found willing, and even eager, to reduce her navy to pre--svar strength. In other words, war accretions will probably be> given up. This may be taken as practically decided. NAVIES FOR THE DOMINIONS.

The question now being considered is, what will be done with these fine ships no longer desired by the Admiralty? The answer to this i^P™*" l * and interesting question is in the Dominions and British policy and desires and the League would most certainly approve that these vessels be Uncled to the Dominions for Dominion navies. New Zealand and South Africa would institute local navies. All the old distrust of separate Dominion navies redistribution of the cost of the general defence of tho Empire will be brought up at the Imperial Conference inLc>ndon immediately after the. Peace Congress. This thorny subject, which, is full of might largely be settled beforehand if the responsibility of the cost of maintaining local navies, ft* TXw New Zealand and South Africa have already been sounded. Indeed, a New Zealand navy seems likely to become an eventuality. Australian and New Zealand Cable Association. (Received February 21, 10.40 P-m.) AMSTERDAM, February 16. Kiel telegrams report that under Allied naval demands submarines which are not dStled in a specified time are taken out to sea from the Germam Xrf and sunk Three .thousand workmen at the Germania wharf were dismissed owing to lack of employment.