NAVAL PARSIMONY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14245, 20 June 1908, Page 5

NAVAL PARSIMONY.

WARNING BY SB E. FREMANTLE. : (Fkom Oub Oyw Correspondent.) , , . , n . LONDON, May 8. Admiral Sir B. Fremantle made a notable protest against the cheese-paring policy in ' naval matters of the present Government. Tho occasion was the St. George's Day dinner, held at the .Cecil Hotel a few evenings ago, under the presidency ot Lord > Deeborough. i "Pour out of the five ships that have ' been lost in tho past few weeks," said Sir ■ Edmund, in replying for " The Navy." " be- 1 longed to what is called the Home Fleet, i Not one of those ships had its full comple- 1 ment of men. Well, I ask you, what can < you expect? The country is not, under % present conditions, spending tho money it < ought to spend on its navy; but, mark my : words, we shall all have to pay for our : parsimony sooner or later. Our main asset i is in the security of our homes, and wo 1 must look to the navy to provide that asset. 1 I feel it my duty to call attention' to the J fact that we are not, now maintaining the < position that is necessary to assive for us ' the command of the seas." Sir Edmund then quoted figures showing |i that Russia and Germany were building '' first class battleships in the proportion, res- i poetively of three to one and two to one, 1 as compared with our own output. He added:—"Facte are stubborn things, and while I am extremely reluctant to touch on controversial matters at. a gathering such t as this. I am bound to sav that at present c we arc wanting in .=iii|w-wanting in ships s that are necessary i 0 maintain the honour ! of the British flag.". - -. • j