MR CHURCHILL'S DEFENCE

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 34

MR CHURCHILL'S DEFENCE

LONDON, June 6. Mr Churchill, speaking at Lunciee, said he did not intend to embark in explanations, reproaches, or recriminations, ihe years succeeding the Agadir crisis, when Mr Asquith charged him to place the fleet in instant and constant readiness for war, constituted the most important period in our naval history. He had done his best. The archives of the Admiralty would snow the part he played, and would be his defence. The terrible dangers at the beginning of the war were over. The seas had been swept clear. Everything was in perfect order. Nearly everything had been foreseen. They' had taken the foes measures and had only to go forward with confidence.

Mr ChurchiJ said he was glad that Mr Balfour would be aide to take up the task of the operations at the Dardanelles ana give him an opportunity of showing those qualities of calm courage and inflexibility which prevented Ladysmith being left to her fate and surrendered. With regard to the Dardanelles, we must expect losses by land and sea, but the fleet employed was a surplus fleet after all other needs had been provided for. It was presumptuous for anyone to suppose that Lord Kitchener had embarked on operations at the Dardanelles without thoroughly and carefully considering every requirement in relation to the paramount needs of the army in France and Flanders. In looking at the two last losses we must not forget the prize for which we were contending. The forces were within a few miles of a victory, such as this war had not yet seen. When it came it would make amends for all. It was the duty of the press to sustain public confidence. He condemned the newspaper attacks on responsible leaders in the field or at Home. Any criticism offered should be in Parliament. He regretted that the Liberal Government had not had an opportunity of stating tire case. It would have been found that Lord Kitchener had a strong ease for the War Office. He (Mr Churchill) might have had something to say about the Admiralty. The nation expected from the new Cabinet action, and not hesitation. It should act now, and act with courage, trusting the people. If it was impossible to win the war without compulsion, he would support it; but. be did not believe it had been found necessary. The whole nation must organise in order to gain a derisive victory. The nation must be socialised, and the Government in some form must make sure that every man and woman of every rank wou 1 d do their fair share. The nation must bend anew together for the supremo effort. The times were hard, the need was dire, and Europe’s acrony infinite ; but the might of Britain hurled unitedly would be irresistible. We had a great reserve to bring forward in aid of the allied cause. That reserve must march as one man.— (Cheers.)

Mr Churchill continued : General Hamilton’s army and Admiral De Robeck’s fleet were separated by only a few miles from a victory such as the war has not seen. When speaking of victory he was not referring to those victories which crowd the daily placards of the newspapers. He was speaking of victory in the sense of a formidable fact shaping the destinies of the nations and shortening the duration of the war. Beyond those few lines of ridge and scrub where our French comrades and our gallant Australian and New Zealand fellow-subjects were fighting with their lives for the destruction of the enemy’s fleet and army was the fall of a worldfamous capital and the probable accession of their powerful allies. The struggle would be heavy and the risks enormous and the losses cruel, but victory would make amends. There never was a great subsidiary operation in which there was more complete harmony or the strategic, political, and economic advantages were so combined or which stood in truer relation to the main decision. Through the Narrows and across the ridges of Gallipoli would be some of the shortest paths to triumph and peace.

We were confronted with a foe who was without the slightest scruple, and who would extirpate us, man, woman, and child, by any method open to him. To fall was to be enslaved or destroyed. Not to win decisively was to have all the misery over again after an uneasy truce, to fight under less favourable circumstances, and, perhaps, alone. After what had happened there could not be peace until the German military system was shattered, lorn, and trampled so that the German Government would be unable to resist the will and decision of the conquering Powers.

Mr Churchill concluded : “ Above all, let us be of good cheer. The loyalty of our dominions and colonies vindicates our civilisation ; our enemy’s hate proves the effectiveness of our warfare. If you are anxious or depressed you should watch Australia and New Zealand. In this last

and finest crusade of smiting down the combined barbarisms of Prussia and Turkey we should set General Botha, who is holding South Africa for the King, and Canada, which is defending to the death the last few miles of shattered Belgium. Then across the smoke and carnage of this immense battlefield we should look forward to the vision of a United British Empire on the calm background of a liberated Europe.” TRADING WITH THE ENEMY. LONDON, June 6. A correspondent writes that in Manchester there is a growing feeling that Britain should follow France’s lead in prohibiting trading with the enemy 7. China, before the outbreak of the war, did a large business in cotton goods with Manchester through German firms, and Manchester is reluctant to discontinue this business. It can be stepped only by, stiffening the British regulations. BRITAIN’S SCHOOLMASTER. LONDON, June 6. The Cologne Gazette, in a tirade against Britain, says that Germany is now England’s schoolmaster. British newspapers have poured hatred and contempt upon her militarism and organisation because of Prussian inventions. Now militarism and organisation had become the twin anchors of her salvation and the only means of fastening together old England, which is breaking up. The German fleewould welcome with the utmost satisfaction the British fleet’s offensive activcy It taunts Mr Churchill with his boast <1 smoking cut the German fleets like rats, whereas he himself has been smoked out of the Admiralty by the unanimous pressure of his countrymen.

WORKERS’ PAPER COLLAPSES. LONDON, June 6. The Daily Citizen, a working man’s newspaper, has ceased publication.

THE NEW ZEPPELINS. COPENHAGEN, June 7,

The new poison gas Zeppelins are furnished with three tanks, carrying gas bombs beneath the gondola portion, and the crew are able to make a fresh supply during the voyage. Ten have been built, and several are now being built.

PROPOSED “ AUSTRALIA DAY. - SYDNEY, June 7 The various patriotic funds now total £2,260,000.

Mr Hugh Ward is organising an “Australia Day” for July 30 to raise funds to assist our own wounded.

GERMAN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA.

LONDON, June 6 (10.45 p.m.)

In the Persian G-ulf the Governor of Amarah, with 30 officers and 700 soldiers, surrendered on Thursday. Amarah is now occupied by us. Our captures to date are—Eighty oSeers, 2000 men, seven field guns, six naval guns, 13 steel barges, one river steamer, three small steamers, many rifles, and ammunition of all sorts.