THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1909 THE NAVY ESTIMATES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14441, 6 February 1909, Page 8

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1909 THE NAVY ESTIMATES.

Not for the first time in its history tlia navy is proving n source of dissension in the British Cabinet. Maintenance of the two-power standard moans that the piper has to bo paid accordingly, and it is a weakness of .Mr Asquith's Ministry that its members are not lihle to agree ,un . on S themselves as to the amount winch Parliament should be asked yew by year to vole for the maintenance and .strengthening of the British navy. According to the latest cabled news oil the subject, the Admiralty proposes that there be an immediate addition to (ho Xaval Estimates of two and atolf millions, increasing to five and sis millions in succeeding years. It fe it ] so stated in navy circles that the Admiralty has asked the Cabinet to lay the keek of six Dreadnoughts during the coming year. The Xa V al Estimates for 1908-0 were sot down is » « Of close "'/on upon'l he amount, for 1907-8 J»o .sum devoted to new shins £',010,201), a . decrt-Ha, of over half a liulhon on the amount set a «itle for this purpose in the preceding yeai . n f tllL> Programmo f or the Z' i h ] S-rf Wd I'irst Lord of the Admiralty mJ, "hat ©xt«nt it niiirl.t u enlarge the following yearoHnTt SirV opcntl w S; r f r b - v forci^ ■ihv-, ' s > of C0ll >"so, been £•*> ™ s „„] t„ b « ti„ ia. * f—m art* wtHSSi

tlio sum total of the two .strongest navies of the world outside that of Groat. Britain. During the past twelve months the British Priino Minister has hern, in a sense, between two fives. In liis Cabinet itself tliei- are those who consistently icsisfc tiro demands voiced by tlio Navy Leaguo and many far-seeing Imperialists for such an increase of expenditure as will leave no doubt that the two-power standard js being maintained, and there is always a section in tlio Honso of Commons' with whom reduction of the Navy Estimates is in the nature or an obsession. On the other hand, the voice of tlio Million, despite the fulmiuaticns of Socialists and Labour leaders, and despite tho naive surprise of the German Chancellor and press (hat German, aspirations should ho so cruelly misunderstood in England, has demanded British supremacy at sen at all costs, •ind Mr Asr]nitli has been impressed ivit-h the desirability of giving assurances from t-lio Government on that .score, Tim Prime Minister secured a considerable accession of public confidence by the firmness of hi.s refusal to yield to the advocates of disarmament, and (he disturbing effect of their propaganda has been to a large extent counteracted by the unambiguous expression of the Government's intention to adhere to the two-power standard in its unrestricted sense. On November 12 }Ir As(|iiith gave j u the House el Commons tlio explicit announcement that tbo Government, accepted as its delinilion of the two-power standard "a preponderance of 10 per cent, over the* combined strengths, in capital ships, of tlio two next .strongest Powers.". Here is enunciated, obviously, the primary and essential considcratiou to he taken into account in a settlement of tlio ship-building programme for this year, tor wluch tlio Estimates must, of course, provide. What the 10 per cent, margin shall be ill terms of capital ships is a pcint upon which the naval aihiser.s of the Government have no doubt already advised it. Mr A.-quith's assurance was not only welcome in England and throughout the Umpire, but ma.j lie taken to have had an excellent moral nnd political effect abroad. It was not at all calculated to encotirago any other Power that- had been indulging the hone that Britain was beiii" tired out. in tlio race for mastery at fiwi. ilie temper of our own nation lias not been lulled without protest into any sense of false security. Lord Ivobcrl.s's memorable speech in the •Mouse nf Lords iu November, in which lie. urged the increase of the land forces to such n pitch r ,f numbers and efficiency as would enable them to repel the invasion 0 f a f oa . e of 2cft)()c;) ji)(ijij though advocating army reinforcement, was calculated to appeal widely as an .ligament for increased vigilance as regards England's first line of defence, her navy, H may he supposed that il a year age a wise could be made cut lor extensive retrenchment in the expenditure on the national defences in order that money might bo found for pensions and other measures of social lofoim, 1 lie present distress amomx (he workers in England will not make opposition tc the NaralEstimates what ei ei lluy may propose, less surelv to bo apprehended iu some quarters, But, as has been pointed out, the present prevalence of unemployment in the Old Country makes the time specially opportune for the active prosecution of an increased Admiralty building programme, which would serve the desirable purpose of absorbing a. largo number of workmen. No outline lias been furnished as to the probable scope of the building programme for the year, hut, though a compromise, may bo tlio outcome, it is not to be supposed that the opposition of two or three members of Mr Asquith's Cabinet- is going to block Admiralty proposals which presumably entail no more than giving practical fulfilment to the guarantee given the nation by the Prime Minister last year and are likeiy to be bailed with widespread satisfaction by a patriotic people.