THE BRITISH NAVY

Otago Witness, Issue 3036, 22 May 1912, Page 29

THE BRITISH NAVY

LONDON, May 14

Lord Charles Beresford, speaking at the Municipal Association dinner, said he was gratified at the recent developments. The War Staff had laid plans enabling the navy to meet an emergency. Organisation was more valuable than the expenditure of £10,000,000 or £15,000,000 on battleships. The cruiser Melbourne will be launched on the 30th irist. and the cruiser Sydney next month. May 15. In the House of Commons the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr Churchill) said that in view of Germany's extra naval expenditure, thus creating the condition foreseen in his recent speech in Parliament, he would ask for a supplementary vote. THE DECISIVE THEATRE. LONDON, May 16. Speaking at the Shipwrighte' Company's banquet, Mr Churchill said his duty was to again ask Parliament for men, money, and materials. If the additional estimates were not so large as they hoped or as others feared, the Government hoped to convince Parliament that what was asked was necessary and sufficient. It was essential that the fleet should be concentrated. The decisive theatre would be in European waters, thus creating a new want, and affording a new opportunity to the overseas dominions. Britain could, if need arose, despatch strong squadrons to aid the dominions which were menaced or attacked, but the main development in the next decade would be the growth of an effective over, seas naval force. They would then be able to make a true division, and enable the Motherland to maintain supremacy at the decisive point, while the daughter States guarded and patrolled, the rest of the Empire. COLONIAL CO-OPERATION. LONDON, May 16. The Unionist newspapers welcome Mr Churchill's speech. The Pall Mall Gazette says that " Germany has made it imp-ssible for the navy to patrol the Empire, therefore the dominions must play quickly to recover our former naval superiority."

The Liberal newspapers consider the First Lord's declaration unnecessary, except the Westminster Gazette, which adds that Great Britain should either maintain the necessary rates of strength or T>ecome dependent on her neighbours and at the mercy of their combinations and alliances.

Following upon the reorganisation of Admiralty methods, Prince Louis of Battenberg commands a fleet in the July manoeuvres.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. VIEWS OF ADMIRALS. LONDON, May 17. In tlie House of Commons Mr John Norton Griffiths asked whether Mr Churchill would consult the Dominions as to the odvisableness of creating a special Admiralty Board, consisting of representatives of the Admiralty and the Dominions, with a view to encouraging an Imperial flying squadron. Mr Churchill replied that in view of the pending visit of the Canadian representatives the question was premature. Admiral Bridge, speaking at the Liberal Colonial Club, said in regard to colonial naval defence that co-operation in such an Empire as ours was only possible when voluntary. Sooner or later we would have to adopt the system of an indivisible naval force under an Empire Council of Defence.

Admiral Henderson said he agreed with Mr Churchill's speech. An Australian, Canadian, or South African fleet in being was capable of a strategical movement at any time.

Mr Lyttelton, speaking at an Imperial Mission meeting, dwelt on the urgent necessity for shaping the policy so as to secure the solid defence of the Empire. It was unthinkable that Britain should be burdened with the defence of the whole Empire, while the participation of the Dominions was optional, but bearing in mind the overseas' natural sensitiveness, it would be better to let colonial opinion develop spontaneously.

CAUSTIC COMMENT. MONTREAL, May 17. The Montreal Star acrimoniously comments on the delusion that it is necessary to humour or flatter the Dominions. It says that Canada does not want her warships loafing in Vancouver when a sudden war breaks out in the North Sea. DISCUSSION AT COLONIAL INSTITUTE DINNER. LONDON, May 18. Earl Grey presided at the Empire Day dinner of the Royal Colonial Institute, and there were 300 guests, including Sir Win. Hall-Jones and the Agents-general. Dr G. R. Parkin, in proposing the toast of " The Overseas Dominions," said he believed the people on the outskirts of the Empire would respond to Mr Churchill's appeal to patrol the distant seas. Earl Grey said that besides desiring to teach the Motherland the resources of the

overseas Dominions, the institute might teach the overseas Dominions the greatness of the Motherland, and prove that the spirit- of Britain was not played qui* He knew that thousands in Canada envied the Motherland's privilege of bearing the burden of Empire, and were counting on the day when they would be able to claim a share. . •- c

Sir A. Lawley, replying to : the toast, asked were the people of Britain to bear the whole burden of the navy, or were they to share it with their overseas brethren ? On the happy solution of this problem depended the future welfare and existence of the Empire.

May 20

Admiral Sir L. A. Beaumont has ra-„ tired owing to his having reached th« age limit. Vice-admiral King-Hall has been promoted to the rank of admiral.

The Daily News says there is no risk in predicting that the naval policy whichAustralia has chosen and which Mr Churchill favours will be ultimately adopted generally. If the Canadian Ministers are converted the thing will be as good as settled.

The Daily Mail comments on the "cordial reception of Mr, Churchill's invitation* to the dominions, and says Mr White's anouncement that Canada is prepared to do her full share is the direct and inspiring response of the eldest daughter of the Empire. The paper adds that the Reichstag debate shows that Germany means to increase her navy to the utmost point. The dominions' action, provided it is taken in time, will turn the scales, and if Canada relieves the British fleet of the Atlantic control the crisis will b» surmounted.

FEDERATION OF EMPIRE. OTTAWA, May 18. In the course of a speech at Toronto -

the Hon. Mr White (Minister of Finance) said it was necessary that thie five nation* of the Empire should get together for the purpose of defence, not aggression. A federation of the Empire at the present time did not present any difficulty. Canada was destined to be the heart of the Empire in the future. GERMAN PRESS CRITICISM. BERLIN, May 18. The Kreuz Zeitung sayß that _Mr Churchill proposes, with the help of strong navies in the Dominions, to control the trade and naval movements of all the Powers on the face of. the earth. His aim is to seoure for England a worldwide monopoly. FACILITIES FOR BOYS. AUCKLAND, May 14. A reporter who visited H.M.S. Pioneer this morning ascertained some interesting facts about opportunities that exist on board the vessels for New Zealand lad* that are not generally known either by the lads or their parents. It was learnt that there is an exceptional opportunity at the present time for New Zeaiand youths who wish to join the Royal Navy for short service under conditions of employment and pay that are most favourable. New Zealanders are, it is understood; received on the Pioneer when vacancies occur under special conditions incident to the existing agreement between the Government and the British Admiralty, which permit their leaving at the end of five years and include a system of deferred payment under which a young man can leave at the age of 23 years with a lump sum of £250 to his credit in the Government Savings Bank if he has completed his five years' service, or such sum as is due if he leaves before under exceptional circumstances. It is understood that vacancies, exist for ordinary seamen, boys, and stokers, from ages varying from 15 years to 22 years, but every trade is represented on board a modern man-of-war.