AMERICA'S NAVAL POLICY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11251, 16 April 1908, Page 5

AMERICA'S NAVAL POLICY.

MORE BATTLESHIPS WANTED. /Presß Assn.— By Telegraph.— Cbpyright.* I ;■-,..; NEW YORK, April 15. President Roosevelt's message,, urging Congress to provide four battleships of the largest -type immediately; remarks that China is an example^of peace. at any price, while Great BriteHn's naval policy ought to be emulated. The Hague Conference showed that when nations disagree as to the limit of . naval armaments, ! arbitration, is an ineffective! remedy, though it ought to be. utilised to the fullest extent. While disclaiming any in- ( tetttion of engaging in a war of conquest, [ President Roosevelt states that • Ainenca can ill afford to relapse into the position I where insult must be borne, in silence, j If she built only two battleships a yepr, America would go backward in naval rank and relative power among the grdat nations, which was unwise if she fronted merely one ocean, and doubly unwise when fronted by two. Neither arbitration nor any. other device can prevent the- '.gravest and most terrible wroiig 1 ' to people who have^ lost the capacity for selfdefence. If America desired to avoid , insult she must be able to repel it, and j if she desired peace, she must at all tirijes be ready for war: '•■ . ' '. . ■