GREAT BRITAIN'S NAVAL STRENGTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 43

GREAT BRITAIN'S NAVAL STRENGTH.

SEEN THROUGH FRENCH EYES. LONDON, June 12.

A surprising and remarkable criticism of Great Britain's naval strength appeared on Tuesday in the Paris Times, which recently played the part of candid friend in regard l to the British Army. The writer of the article says: —

"The British naval authorities have allowed themselves to be surpiised by the rapidity of naval evolution and hypnotised by the progress of the next largest navy.

Ever haunted by the fear of invasion, they did not foresee the consequence of the Russo-Japanese war any more than they foresaw the consequences of the invention of the Dreadnought. •'Now that the naval supremacy of Britain is no longer absolute, the naval ambitions of other nations axe being openly asserted. America in a few years has constructed a navy which is now second in the ' world, but which will soon be surpassed b*- that of Germany. America asserts her naval rank by a piece of bluff — the naval voyage round the world. It has been said that the American people

speak little and strike hard, but in connection with this naval voyage Americans are really too boastful. " Nevertheless, the naval parade hae a peculiar significance of its own. For instance, the Australian Premier's invitation to the fleet to visit Australian ports is accepted with enthusiasm, but when the British Government invites the same fleet to visit England the invitation is refused on the ground that it would delay the journey of the fleet Yet to visit Australia the fleet is obliged to steam 4000 to 5000 miles out of its course. Yet, while England has received this little affront

from America, another young naval power has ju3t set itself to the avowed task of supplanting its naval anecstor, England. This power is Germany. " Germany is now following Lord Cawdor's policy of laying down four firetclass battleships every year, while at the present time Britain is only laying down three. The gradual diminution of British naval supremacy, whichever way we look at it, is bound to diminish the chances of the maintenance of peace in the Pacific, -where Britain has waived her supremacy. A conflict of interests has arisen between the United

States and Japan, and is not yet completely settled. The British merchant flagis gradually disappearing from the Far Eastern seas. Even in the Indian Ocean British merchant navigation is affected. Though in the Atlantic an,d her dependent seas Great Britain maintains her position, she is directly threatened by the ever-in-creasing German naval power. Armed conflict is inevitable sooner or later. The two countries' interests are too much' opposed for an entente to be possible. When this conflict will come and how it will arise none can tell, but the conflict 13 inevitable."